Sky lanterns have been banned from all Colchester Council land.

People hiring out venues or land from the authority, including its cemetery, will no longer be able to release the lanterns from immediate effect.

Event organisers will need to agree to the new rules as part of their event.

The council said the ban has been put in place as unextinguished sky lanterns create a fire hazard, the metal waste can harm animals and waste from balloons and lanterns are also a source of litter.

Tim Young, councillor responsible for community safety, said: “Prohibiting the release of sky lanterns from council land is the common sense thing to do.

“There is irrefutable evidence that waste can and does harm wildlife, livestock and marine life, so we must do our best to limit the impact on our local environment.

“In addition, sky lanterns also pose a significant fire risk to residential property, businesses and farmland.

“Anyone holding an event on Colchester Council land will be expected to adhere to this new ruling. We would encourage individuals and local landowners to consider restricting the use of sky lanterns from their land.”

The council wants people to come up with other ways to commemorate their events, such as planting native trees or flowers, floating petals or blowing bubbles.

Tendring and Essex County councils have both recently introduced the same restrictions.