Following a campaign encouraging the public to release sky lanterns in support of the NHS, and a young filly being serious injured after being spooked by a hellium balloon, support for an outright ban on the release of similar items has been growing...
Calls have been made for balloon and sky lantern releases to be banned outright, after a “misguided” campaign and a serious equine injury.
The RSPCA and the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) are among those that have spoken against Night Sky Lanterns’ campaign for people to buy and release Union Flag lanterns in support of the NHS, with money from sales going to support the service.
{"content":"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"}
You may also be interested in…
‘The ironic thing is that the balloon probably belonged to a little girl who loves ponies’
‘We hope people will choose to show their support and gratitude to key workers in other ways’
Credit: Alamy Stock Photo
Library image.
Credit: Alamy Stock Photo
‘While sky lanterns are used to create a spectacle in the sky, they are also a serious danger to the
The public and local authorities have welcomed the cancellation of the Light Fests by the event venue
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2025 with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
H&H news editor
Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
