Eastleigh civic chiefs have welcomed new government regulations aimed at cracking down on the noise of fireworks and restoring some peace to winter night skies.

Earlier this year the borough council backed the RSPCA's Quiet Please campaign which aimed to set the noise limit at 95 decibels in a bid to avoid distress to pets and animals and encourage people to go to large, organised firework displays rather than release ear-splitting displays from back gardens.

Now, new government regulations have introduced a national curfew banning fireworks between 11pm and 7am.

The restrictions - which came into force on August 7 - apply throughout the year, although the start of the curfew will be midnight on November 5 and 1am on New Year's Day, Diwali and Chinese New Year.

In addition there is now a noise limit of 120 decibels for fireworks and a ban on sales of certain fireworks to under-18s.

Eastleigh's executive councillor for the environment, Councillor Louise Bloom, told the Daily Echo earlier this year: "I am certainly not a killjoy but the situation is totally out of hand. It is just appalling.

"We have a huge number of complaints from September onwards. When we were kids fireworks were for one week. Now people seem to start in September and it just goes on and on."

Welcoming the new government crackdown she commented: "This is a positive step and we are pleased that the government has taken on board many of the comments we have made to them about the need for stricter controls on fireworks."

Meanwhile, Steve Broomfield, regional manager of the Blue Cross animal welfare charity, said: "I am very pleased to see it . It is a good reward for all the hard work that the Blue Cross has put in."

Enforcement of the new regulations will be undertaken by the police, while Customs & Excise will inspect fireworks being imported into the country.

A new licensing scheme for those supplying fireworks comes into force on January 1, 2005 limitingthe sale of fireworks to premises licensed by Hampshire County Council.

Exemptions will allow the general sale of fireworks for three weeks prior to November 5 and over Christmas and New Year period plus Diwali and Chinese New Year.