ANIMAL welfare campaigners have welcomed a UK Government consultation on tighter controls over the use of loud fireworks outside organised displays.

The RSPCA described the announcement as a “major step forward” and urged pet owners and animal lovers across England and Wales to take part in the consultation.

David Bowles OBE, the charity’s head of public affairs, said fireworks could cause severe distress and lasting harm to pets, horses, livestock and wildlife.

He said: “For too long, pets, horses, wildlife and farmed animals have been deeply affected by fireworks and the lack of regulation, including DIY and impromptu displays.

“Animals such as dogs and horses can suffer from tinnitus, hearing loss and long-term hearing damage, while all animals can experience stress and fear, which has in some instances led to injury and even death.

“Livestock and other animals living outdoors often try to escape the bangs out of fear, sometimes injuring themselves in the process, and the consequences can be devastating.”

An RSPCA survey carried out in 2024 found that 66 per cent of pet owners considered backyard firework displays to be a major concern.

The charity has long campaigned for tighter restrictions and more responsible use of fireworks. Its work has included an annual calming programme with Classic FM on Bonfire Night and its Kind Sparks campaign, which encourages communities to consider the impact of fireworks on animals and vulnerable people.

The RSPCA is also a member of the Fireworks Impact Coalition, a group of 19 organisations representing people and animals adversely affected by fireworks.

Mr Bowles added: “This campaign has never been about spoiling people’s fun, but about protecting animals.

“This consultation has the potential to be a game changer. We now have an opportunity to give animals a voice by encouraging everyone who cares about them to respond and support these long-awaited restrictions.”

Party leader says allegations involving children in care underline the need for a Wales-wide investigation into institutional failings

THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have renewed calls for a Wales-wide inquiry into group-based child sexual exploitation following the charging of eight people in Gwent.

Gwent Police said eight British nationals had been charged with more than 30 offences as part of an investigation into alleged group-based child sexual exploitation.

Responding to the development, Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar MS said the allegations represented a serious betrayal of children who should have been protected by the care system.

“These are horrific allegations representing an unforgivable betrayal of children who should have been protected by the care system,” he said.

“We now have reports of abuse in Gwent, Swansea, Rhyl and rural Wales. It is essential that the Welsh Government commissions a Wales-wide inquiry to ensure that no stone is left unturned in exposing the extent of these crimes.”

Mr Millar said any inquiry should examine the conduct of schools, councils, health services and other public bodies, including whether opportunities to protect vulnerable children had been missed.

He added: “We need to understand why opportunities to intervene were missed and whether institutional failings allowed abuse to continue unchecked.

“We must ensure justice for victims, hold perpetrators to account and get to grips with any systemic failings that allowed such abuse to take place.”

Peter Fox MS, the party’s Shadow Minister for Local Government and Communities, said he had been deeply shocked by the allegations, particularly reports that the alleged victims had been in care.

“Our hearts go out to the victims who have bravely come forward during this investigation,” he said.

“They have suffered so much and for too long. Justice must now prevail.”

The Welsh Conservatives have repeatedly pressed the Welsh Government to establish a national inquiry examining the scale of group-based child sexual exploitation in Wales and the response of public authorities.

The charges have not yet been tested in court. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

WELSH WATER has warned that restrictions on water use could be considered unless demand falls, after prolonged hot and dry weather pushed consumption to unprecedented levels.

More than 1,000 megalitres of water has been pumped into the network every day for the past week, around 17 per cent above normal demand.

The company said pressures are particularly acute in Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Hereford, where the population is expected to increase further as schools break up and the busiest period of the summer tourism season begins.

Forecasters are currently predicting little or no significant rainfall for at least another week.

Welsh Water said the issue was not a shortage of water in reservoirs, but the speed at which treated water is being used.

Demand has remained unusually high throughout the day and into the evening, leaving storage tanks and service reservoirs unable to recover overnight as they normally would.

Treatment works are operating at maximum safe capacity, while Welsh Water’s entire tanker fleet has been deployed around the clock to move supplies around the network.

Frontline teams are also working 24 hours a day to repair leaks and respond to localised supply problems.

Several water companies in England have already introduced temporary restrictions following similar periods of exceptionally high demand.

Welsh Water said it would prefer to avoid imposing restrictions but warned that all available options would have to be considered if demand remained at its current level.

Kit Wilson, Welsh Water’s chief customer officer, said: “We are doing everything we can to keep water flowing for our customers.

“Our treatment works are producing as much water as they safely can, our teams are working around the clock, and we are moving water around the network wherever possible.

“However, we have now experienced an unprecedented period of exceptionally high and sustained demand lasting several weeks.

“This is no longer a short-lived peak caused by a few hot days. The pressure has continued day after day, including overnight when our storage levels would normally have the opportunity to recover.”

Mr Wilson urged residents and visitors to avoid wasting water, warning that continued record demand could place essential supplies at risk.

He added: “We would prefer not to put any restrictions on customer water use, but to maintain supplies for all customers we are asking people to work with us, be careful not to waste water, and help reduce the risk of any impact on supplies.

“If this level of demand continues, we’ll have to consider all the options available to us to protect essential water supplies.”

Customers are being encouraged to take shorter showers, turn off taps while brushing their teeth, avoid washing cars and delay filling paddling pools or watering gardens.

Welsh Water said small changes by large numbers of customers could save millions of litres and help protect supplies across west Wales.

The company is continuing to monitor demand and local storage levels and said further updates would be issued if the situation changes.