Fireworks blow up post boxes at Corsham and Neston (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Fireworks blow up post boxes at Corsham and Neston

2:58pm Thursday 11th November 2010 in News

Police have said it was lucky that no one was injured or killed by two massive explosions caused by fireworks planted inside postboxes in Corsham and Neston.

Fireworks were exploded in postboxes on Dicketts Road, Corsham, and Elley Green, Neston, shortly after the Neston Fireworks Display on Saturday evening.

PCSO Charles Campbell, of Corsham Police, said: “The explosions were so big that at Elley Green the front door blew off across the road and hit a wall on the other side.

“If someone had been passing by at the time it could have killed them. We were very lucky that no one was injured.

“One guy that lives across the road said that despite his double glazed windows the explosion was so loud that his ears were still ringing later in the evening.

“Most of what we found inside the postboxes was burnt and singed but amazingly we were able to recover just one letter which was payment to a local business.

“The letter was burnt but the cheque was still intact.

“It is incredibly dangerous to use fireworks in this way. The people who carried out these attacks obviously do not understand the implications of what they have done.”

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “These are acts of mindless vandalism and amount to criminal damage. They are not only dangerous, but are expensive, time consuming to put right and cause a great deal of inconvenience.

“We urge anyone with information to contact police.”

They added that it would take some time before the postboxes could be replaced because of the extent of the damage.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Corsham Police on 0845 408 7000.