Chinese Lanterns

[monkeybum13]

When I was poo picking my horse's paddock today I found a chinese lantern than must have come down last night. They're a real nuisance, I'm very thankful my horse didn't decided to go and sniff it as it was one made with metal, am I right in thinking you can buy ones made of bamboo or a similar material?

I'd like to see an outright ban on the things but as they are "pretty" it doesn't seem to matter what environmental impact they have

 

[rossiroo]

I hate the stupid things, two have landed in my field, one very close to the muck heap, thank goodness it wasn't the hayledge or stable it landed on.

 

[Hairy Old Cob]

I thoght the wired lanterns had been Banned? and they should only be Bamboo ******* things should be BANNED always picking the remains of the Bloo** things up everywhere.

 

[hayinamanger]

I pulled one of these bl00dy things out of the hedge this morning, another one last week. They are a real nuisance to livestock, cattle in particular, as they will eat anything. I'd very much like to see them banned.

ETA I reckon the bamboo ones are just as dangerous as the wire

 

[*hic*]

I found two in my yard on Sunday morning and my husband found another, a wire one, in the field. One of the ones in the yard had a name on it. I am making local enquiries.

 

[Foxhunter49]

Had some friends turn up with 50 of the darn things, big party and they thought it would be fun to light thermal together.
They went back with all 50 and a lesson in the dangers of the bloody things.

 

[babymare]

i hate them to vengance - ok dur send something up burning it will come down burning posss- anfdwires ffs get real manufactures and start thinking = bloody hate things grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr x

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

Bamboo isnt much safer if ingested by a horse or cow, to me they are a combination of arson and flytipping!

Do what I do, whenever you see them in a catalogue, email the shop especially if you are a previous customer.

I did this with Sarah Raven garden catalogue (they say they are reviewing it) and Nauticalia who sent the following (good for them)
"Dear Mrs XXX
Thank you for your email. We have decided to not feature the lanterns in our next mail order catalogue. Thank you for taking the time to email us with your concerns, I have forwarded your email to our buying director.

Regards
Suzanne
Mail order dept"
If they get enough emails, people wont see them for sale and think oo thats a nice idea. It will only people actively seeking them out (who wont listen anyway).

Recently a 'release a lantern for Our Heroes' campaign on FB (fine cause, but which Heroes want to be indirectly responsible for house and barn fires and dead animals) was successfully argued against and eventually changed to be a Light a Candle for our Heroes'. Again credit to the organisers for realising (eventually) that the number of lanterns that could be released was a potential issue for farmers, householders and emergency services (like coastguards who keep getting called out to emergencies which turn out to be lanterns out at sea).

 

[Devonshire dumpling]

i was given one for Christmas a couple years ago by a fireman, I think he was after a few shouts!

 

[Jesstickle]

We get them in our fields all the time although fortunately all the horses totally ignore them. Sadly we also find them out hacking and then they are horse eating monsters and I spend my ride trying to persuade BH he can get closer than 6 foot without them eating him! Idiot horse

 

[Luci07]

Logic alone would suggest that lighting something and letting if off would be dangerous and a real fire risk...

 

[Doris68]

They should be BANNED! We live in a 17th century thatched cottage and it's a real worry -apart from the risks to the horse, barns etc. Our insurance premiums are high enough and we take the utmost care to protect our property from fire hazards......and then there are these Chinese Lanterns, over which we have zero control....urrggghhhh...

 

[EstherYoung]

Bliddy things - I swear they've been stalking me just recently as I've come across loads.

The BHS want to know about them as they are compiling a list of horse related incidents and field-findings. E-mail s.hardy@bhs.org.uk with details of where you found the lantern.