Plans to ban sky lanterns have the support of most people who responded to a public consultation, according to the Office of Fair Trading.

Safety regulations will now be laid before October's sitting of Tynwald and, if approved, the ban on sales in the Isle of Man will come into effect immediately.

The OFT is now calling on the Department of Home Affairs to introduce legislation that would ban the importation of sky lanterns.

OFT chairman David Quirk said: 'We were pleased with the level of response to our recent consultation in relation to prohibiting the sale of sky lanterns and have taken the public’s views on board.

'The overall majority - 79 per cent - of those who responded agreed with the view that sky lanterns can pose a risk to public safety and that a ban on the sale of sky lanterns was a good first step to ensuring this risk could be reduced.'

He said the consultation revealed strong support for a total ban covering the sale, importation and use of sky lanterns and the regulations being laid before Tynwald in October would give the Department of Home Affairs time to put the necessary legislation in place.

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