Stay safe with the firework good guys

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 22nd Oct 2007

Rochdale Council are working hard to rid the town of anti-social fireworks.

Look out for the firework 'Good Guys' - that's the advice Rochdale Council consumer watchdogs are giving to people planning parties for bonfire night. Retailers throughout the borough have joined the Good Guy's scheme and agreed to support a code of conduct that will restrict firework nuisance in the weeks leading up to bonfire night and encourage people to use fireworks safely.

Good Guy retailers are putting up posters and certificates so that everyone buying fireworks knows who the Good Guys are.

Complaints about firework sales and firework nuisance dropped significantly when the scheme was introduced by Rochdale Borough Council last year.

The council's chief trading standards officer, Andy Glover said: "Thanks to the Good Guys Scheme, reports of firework nuisance were down by a third last year and the number of complaints about underage sales also dropped. So anyone who is not going to an organised display this year, should buy their fireworks from a 'Good Guy' for a safer, friendlier bonfire night."

Already twenty-one retailers have joined scheme, which means they will refuse to sell fireworks before the 15 October and after 10 November and will make sure all purchasers are aware of their responsibilities.

Council Leader, Alan Taylor said: "The weeks around bonfire night can be a nightmare for parents with young children, older people, pet owners and many others. People buying fireworks from the 'Good Guys' are helping to put more neighbourliness into bonfire night."