SINCE when has it been customary to let off fireworks at midnight on New Year's Eve? To answer my own question: it isn't, particularly in this area where I was born and have lived for the best part of 60 years.

In my opinion, those who did let off fireworks were selfish, anti-social, irresponsible and guilty of breaching the peace, just as are those who aided and abetted by openly promoting their sale. I would like to see the police and the local authority investigate this and prosecute.

There is no doubt that the abuse and misuse of fireworks is on the increase.

So what did I find when I went to Asda in Radcliffe between Christmas and New Year? Fireworks for sale and not only that, but given a high profile over the public address system! On New Year's Eve, fireworks started to go off well before midnight and continued into the early hours. There was no consideration given to babies, young children, the sick, the frail, pets, wildlife, and those who had to get up early to go to work, such as nurses like myself.

New Year's Eve is a time when people enjoy themselves and the consumption of alcohol is usually increased. In Peru, just before Christmas, nearly 300 people died because of the misuse of fireworks. Does a major tragedy have to happen here before something is done?

The public sale of fireworks should be banned and sales restricted to licensed individuals for licensed displays, which should never be at midnight. I don't know where this new custom of setting off fireworks at midnight has come from but it needs to end now.

MICHAEL WYATT