A COUNCILLOR'S fight to ban the sale of fireworks in shops has sparked a storm of support in the city.

Richard Udall said he has received more than 20 letters and phonecalls from concerned St John's residents since he pledged to take action in the Evening News a week ago.

"It is very encouraging and I'm now considering starting a petition," he said.

Another recent incident involving fireworks took place in Stallard Road, St John's, on Monday night, where two three-foot long rockets landed on terrified pensioner Donald Smith's doorstep.

Bombs

"These dangerous weapons, for that's what they are, hit my front door and if anyone had been standing there, they would have been hit," the 71-year-old widower said.

"They sounded like bombs dropping. It was terrible."

The new Fireworks Act, approved by Parliament in September, aims to impose noise limits, prohibit the sale of fireworks outside Bonfire Night and New Years Eve time zones and the use of fireworks after 11pm.

But city and county councillor Udall, who is also chairman of the Hereford and Worcester Combined Fire Authority, said the latest incident again demonstrated the need for a complete ban of fireworks in shops.

"What happened to Mr Smith shows the need to cut out the supply altogether and have just licensed, organised displays," he said.