FLINTSHIRE councillors have backed calls to “ban the bang” by encouraging the use of quiet fireworks.

It follows the death of a horse in Holywell which was said to have been spooked by loud bangs in the run up to Bonfire Night.

The animal named Harry bolted from a field and became impaled on a fence on November 2.

Despite vets fighting to save him, it was revealed last week that the six-year-old had been put to sleep.

Following the tragic incident, local councillor Rosetta Dolphin raised a motion with Flintshire Council urging it to encourage event organisers to consider using low noise fireworks.

The suggestion was discussed at a meeting on Tuesday where the independent councillor highlighted the distress which can be caused to animals and humans.

She said: “There was a horse in my ward and it was so startled by the fireworks that were going off on the estate that it managed to get itself all tangled up in barbed wire.

“That horse has had to be put to sleep last week disappointingly and it couldn’t be saved.

“I also have a friend whose daughter has disabilities and she sits and rocks all night from that first bang.

“She is so scared and I’m not talking about a child, this is someone in her 30s.

“I would like to see a reduction in the maximum level of noise from 120 decibels to 90.

“If we could set the limit to 90 that would be consistent with the approach of other countries and encourage manufacturers to design and produce quieter or silent fireworks.”

Cllr Dolphin added fireworks should only be set off on designated days to allow pet owners to prepare themselves.

She called for all public firework displays in Flintshire to be advertised in advance and also asked the local authority to take part in an awareness campaign to warn of the risks.

The motion was backed unanimously by councillors at County Hall in Mold.

Buckley representative Cllr Ellis said: “The noise from the rockets is unbelievable and you’ve got pensioners close by who are terrified.

“I think that needs to be addressed and lots people are saying they’re not opposed to fireworks, but it’s the way they’re sold and who they’re sold to.

“The horse that you refer to, I saw lots of photographs on that night as my niece has two horses on that very same yard.

“It could have been one of them and it’s absolutely dreadful.”