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most firework displays that i recall didn't involve mega rockets, nor anything that sounded like a ton of TNT going off, they were usually organised as some are still today, in parks and more open areas, away from buildings, these chinese lantern are a fairly new phenomenon in Britain, however as already pointed out, they can be seen as flares if floating out to sea, or set fire to almost anything, ban them, don't ban them i don't care, but the damage they have caused at Smethwick seems serious enough.