Mum shares brilliant hack to stop little fingers getting burnt on Bonfire Night

05 November 2023 , 13:41

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Sparklers can get very hot (stock image) (Image: Daily Mirror)

Bonfire Night is synonymous with fireworks and sparklers, and while there's no doubt children are excited to watch and take part in celebrations, it's important to take safety precautions.

Every year on November 5 firework displays take place across the country as families mark Guy Fawkes Night. Sparklers are another way of adding to the fun, with little ones able to hold them and twirl them around, even if they aren't a fan of fireworks.

It's still important to be careful, as they can get extremely hot while burning, but one mum has shared a genius hack to make sure little fingers aren't hurt during the festivities. Clare Hoops, who often shares 'thrifty life hacks' on her TikTok page, recently shared the hack, which she wishes she knew when her children were little - and it couldn't be more simple.

Instead of getting kids to hold it by the metal end, she broke a carrot in two and stuck the sparkler in it - and get them to hold the vegetable instead. In the clip, which has been seen by 17.8k people at the time of writing, Clare can be seen snapping the carrot in half, before putting the end into the vegetable into it. She then lit the sparkler, and held it by the carrot instead of the metal. She added: "Makes it easier for little hands to keep hold of the sparkler more safely."

Fellow parents were thankful for Clare's tip, with one person saying: "Thanks that's an amazing idea." Another simply said: "This is genius!" while a third commented: "We used to do that when ours were little, in their 40s now."

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It's important to rember that you're allowed to use sparklers, and even set off fireworks in your own garden, but there are some restrictions. For celebrations like Bonfire Night you can set them off until midnight, but any later is illegal.

For other holidays like Diwali, Chinese New Year and New Year's Eve you can set them off until 1am. Outside of these special occasions you can only set off fireworks in your back garden until 11pm. Any fireworks set off between 11pm and 7am could land you in trouble.

You aren't legally obliged to tell your neighbours, but it is good form to do so. People with pets, young children, or those who are taking care of a vulnerable person - like someone suffering from dementia - will almost certainly appreciate the heads up.

Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz