MORE than 150 fireworks have been seized in a raid on a house on Middlesbrough's Thorntree council estate.

It is illegal to sell fireworks without an explosives licence and Cleveland Police are condemning illegal firework sales, which they say pose a risk to life and limb.

The raid on the house in Thorntree was a joint operation mounted by the police and Middlesbrough Council trading standards department. The man could now face prosecution by the council's trading standards department.

Inspector Steve Keilty, of Cleveland Police, said: "This is an excellent example of how Middlesbrough Council and the police are working together under the Crime and Disorder Partnership to address community concerns.

"Certain irresponsible and greedy people are causing upset and annoyance to their neighbours, as well as creating a potentially dangerous situation just to make a few pounds."

He appealed to neighbours to continue to call a confidential firework nuisance hotline, (01642) 728002, which has been set up by the Council.

The council said tenants selling fireworks from their homes faced eviction.

A spokesman said: "If we have a situation where there is a breach of the tenancy rules and one of those is a tenant should not be operating a businesses from home, especially an illegal one, we look carefully at the situation."

* The firework manufacturing industry has said that November 5 and the run-up to it next year will be quieter by 30 million loud bangs.

From January 1, members of the British Firework Association, an organisation that distributes 95 per cent of all family fireworks in Britain, have agreed that they will no longer supply single-tube air bombs and small whistle-bang rockets.

Association chairman John Woodhead said: "We trust that this announcement will be good news to the many who have felt the need to complain so vociferously during the past year - in particular the elderly and pet owners. It cannot take effect until next year because of the long lead time for ordering and manufacturing."