THIS upsetting image shows the true danger of sky lanterns and why calls are being made to ban them from council-owned land in Somerset. 

Burnham and Highbridge Town Council's policy and finance committee voted unanimously to approve proposals to ban sky lanterns and balloon releases from council-owned land in Burnham and Highbridge at a meeting on Monday (March 12). 

The move comes after Burnham and Highbridge Town Council pledged their support to the Surfers Against Sewage campaign last year which aims to reduce plastic waste and its impact on marine life.

At the meeting councillors expressed concerns that sky lanterns can harm livestock and the environment. 

Councillor Bill Hancock, who owns a farm in Burnham-on-Sea, supported the proposals and said he hopes the ban will mean livestock will be safe.

"I think it is a brilliant idea if we can stop anything bad happening to livestock," Cllr Hancock said.

"Sky lanterns have a big effect on the environment and livestock and if we can do our bit to stop it, it would be a good thing.

"We ran the idea past officers at Sedgemoor District Council and they said they don't have a policy in place to ban sky lanterns."

Claire Faun, corporate relations manager at Sedgemoor District Council, confirmed the council doesn't currently have a policy in place.

"We don’t have anything formal in place at the moment," the spokesman said.

"Once we receive the request, I suspect it will be discussed as an executive agenda item."

Councillor Phil Harvey echoed Cllr Hancock's comments and said Somerset County Council should also introduce a policy to ban the lanterns from their council-owned land.

A spokesman for Somerset County Council, said: "We don’t have a specific over-reaching policy in place, however we would not permit the release of sky lanterns from SCC owned land for the reasons mentioned.

"Dillington House for example, does have a policy banning the use of sky lanterns at events to prevent harm to livestock or the environment."

The RSPCA says birds and other wildlife can die after becoming entangled in the wire frames of lanterns when they land in woods, fields and rivers and the candles inside also pose a fire risk.

RSPCA wildlife information officer, Llewelyn Lowen, welcomed the council's proposals and said a complete ban on sky lanterns is 'long overdue'.

“These horrible devices can have deadly consequences for pets, farm and wild animals.

“While it’s encouraging to see that a few councils in England have acknowledge the dangers and introduced a ban, there’s still a long way to go. A complete ban on sky lanterns is long overdue.”

Members of Burnham and Highbridge Town Council will decide whether the decision to approve the proposal should be ratified at their full council meeting on Monday, April 9.