Halloween & Bonfire Night Safety Advice

Halloween & Bonfire Night Safety Advice

🎃 Halloween & Bonfire Night Safety Advice

As Halloween and Bonfire Night approach, South Wales Police's annual Operation Bang campaign is once again reminding residents to enjoy the festivities responsibly and help keep our communities safe.

The Halloween and Guy Fawkes period is traditionally one of the busiest times of the year for emergency services, with an increase in reports of anti-social behaviour, reckless use of fireworks, criminal damage, and nuisance incidents involving eggs and flour. While the vast majority of young people celebrate responsibly, a small minority can cause significant disruption to local communities.

👻 Trick-or-Treating

Halloween should be an enjoyable experience for everyone. Please remember to:

Only visit homes displaying Halloween decorations or those that have clearly welcomed trick-or-treaters.

Respect residents who have displayed a "No Trick or Treat" poster and avoid knocking on their doors.

Ensure younger children are accompanied by a responsible adult.

Older children should stay together in groups, plan their route in advance and agree a time to return home.

Wear bright or reflective clothing and carry a torch to remain visible in the darker evenings.

Parents and guardians should check all sweets and treats before they are eaten, particularly if packaging appears damaged or opened.

🎆 Fireworks and Bonfire Safety

Fireworks can be enjoyed safely when used responsibly:

Be considerate of neighbours, especially those with pets, young children, or vulnerabilities.

Never throw fireworks or carry them in your pocket.

Keep sparklers away from children under five years of age.

Place used sparklers directly into a bucket of water after use.

Attend organised displays wherever possible.

Retailers across South Wales continue to work with police and partner agencies to help prevent the sale of fireworks, eggs and flour to groups of youths where concerns around anti-social behaviour exist.

🚔 Enforcement Activity

Throughout the Halloween and Bonfire Night period, South Wales Police will be carrying out increased patrols in areas identified as ASB hotspots.

Where necessary, officers may implement Section 35 Dispersal Orders, allowing police to direct individuals away from designated areas and seize fireworks or other items being used to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

Anyone involved in:

Arson or deliberate fire-setting.

Criminal damage or vandalism.

Throwing fireworks at people, vehicles or buildings.

Assaulting emergency workers.

may face arrest, prosecution, substantial fines, or imprisonment.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to know where their children are and to take responsibility for their behaviour, particularly during the school holidays and darker evenings.

📞 Reporting Anti-Social Behaviour

Please help keep emergency lines free for those in genuine need by using the appropriate reporting method:

🚨 Call 999 if:

Life is at risk.

A crime is in progress.

A person or property is in immediate danger.

📱 Report non-emergency incidents by:

Calling 101.

Using the South Wales Police Online Reporting Tool.

Contacting South Wales Police via Live Chat on their website.

🎃 Enjoy the Season Responsibly

Halloween and Bonfire Night can be enjoyable occasions for families, friends and communities to come together. By celebrating responsibly, respecting others and reporting anti-social behaviour appropriately, we can help ensure the season remains safe, enjoyable and not fun for everyone who chooses to spoil it for others.