With Chinese New Year celebrations taking place this week, local MP Simon Hart is urging revellers to think twice before releasing traditional Chinese lanterns into the sky.

The lanterns have metal wire frames and are powered by lit candles and Mr Hart has campaigned to stop the damage they cause to livestock and crops.

"It's traditional on Chinese New Year to release these lanterns but I have seen first hand the damage they can do." he said. "The metal frames do not biodegrade and instead get baled up in fodder and can cause serious internal damage to cows.

"I would also urge anyone planning a wedding party or big celebration to look into a more eco-friendly way of marking the occasion than using these lanterns."

Last year Mr Hart won an assurance from the Government that it was working to ensure that Chinese Lanterns are made safer.

He raised his concerns in Parliament and was told by Agriculture Minister Jim Paice that the Government was gathering data on the problem.

"The Minister also told me that the Business Department is going to be working with local authority trading standards to encourage importers to improve the safety of these products and to make them fully biodegradable," he added.