Following the NFU’s ‘Love your countryside campaign’, the farming union is continuing to call for public support in the quest to ban sky lanterns which they claim causes danger to livestock, public and crops.

“The NFU continues to call for an outright ban on the sale of sky lanterns and we will continue to lobby government until action is taken” said NFU Deputy President Minette Batters.

Following press releases, a dedicated webpage and a social media campaign reaching an estimated 500,000 web users, the Union reckoned it was committed to increasing awareness of risks of sky lanterns with those in urban communities.

Some councils have already passed bans while many are currently considering doing so. Additionally, there have been some MPs and candidates who have spoken out on the issue. Meanwhile some venues have made a commitment not to allow the release of sky lanterns and some shops have chosen to stop selling them.

‘Now that the message is getting out there digitally and gathering public support, it is more important than ever to increase pressure on government and high profile people to address the issue of a ban on sky lanterns’, the Union said.

‘The communications team will be following up on the success of the social media campaign over the coming months with an additional push before Chinese New Year.’

The NFU is urging everyone to get involved by sharing the message with family and friends that sky lanterns are dangerous and calling on politicians at multiple levels of government to establish a ban in their jurisdictions.