The Church representative recently wrote to The Times with a long list of actions the Church has taken to curb unruliness, paganism et al in feasts, which I am sure are commendable. However, they also have the power, surely, to stop a feast if petards are allowed to continue blasting away - Beirut style - in our towns and villages.
Unlike our politicians, Church members don't face a popularity contest: aka an election every four or five years.
Why not be brave then, and ban them? How can the Church comment on the environment when it continues to allow such massive environmental damage every single year, for every single feast. Can't they banish petards, if they want to, that is?