West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has repeated her calls for measures to end the use of ‘Chinese lanterns’ which caused a serious fire at a caravan park last month. The MP wrote to the Department for the Environment earlier this month asking what steps had been taken to reduce the risks posed by the lanterns. More than 80 caravans were destroyed at Croft Farm Leisure Park, near Tewksbury, after a massive blaze ripped though the park in November and a blaze broke out at a West Midlands waste recycling plant in July causing £6 million in damage. Fire service investigations revealed that both fires were started by Chinese lanterns. Harriett commented: “I wrote to DEFRA to find out what action was proposed following these two serious fires. “Unfortunately, DEFRA is relying on an independent report carried out before both of these fires occurred and is ignoring a clear risk to property and possible life. “I will be calling on DEFRA to look into this matter properly and take in to account not just the serious risk to property, but also the impact these lanterns have had on livestock. “I hope that they will take immediate steps to improve their evidence base and also issue guidance to retailers and event organizers to try and prevent major incidents occurring again as a result of these flying flamethrowers.”