Almighty blast from sparkler bomb rocks neighbourhood

Whareora houses shook when what sounded like a bomb blast ripped through the quiet rural neighbourhood on Sunday evening.
The boom, at 8.40pm, was loud enough for horses used to blasts from a nearby quarry to become so panicked their owner feared for their safety.
Lizita Hale, 16, watched in horror as her valuable showjumping pony Jazz Cheval hurtled wildly around the paddock. Paddock-mate Peppi also tore around in mad panic. "They just bolted. I was frightened they'd run through a fence."
It took some time before the horses settled down.
Residents found the blast had been caused by a "sparkler bomb" and possibly other homemade devices in a row of letterboxes near the corner of Whareora and Clapham Rds.
It is not a new pre-Guy Fawkes night experience for people living close to AH Reed Memorial Park, which has a carpark area where youths often congregate. But what really rocked the neighbourhood this year was the force of the explosion.
"We have a quarry behind us and it sounded far greater than anything the quarry had ever put up," said Carol Guy, whose house is 300 metres from the blast. Owners of another property 500 metres away said their barbecue shook in the explosion, which destroyed one letterbox and damaged another.
New Zealand Fire Service assistant regional commander Mike Lister is urging people to use common sense around fireworks, not allowing children to play with them, warning their neighbours first, and letting them off at a reasonable time.
Children playing with fireworks in a Kaikohe shed recently escaped uninjured when the shed caught on fire.
Also in the Far North, public toilets have been damaged and letterboxes have been blown up by sparkler bombs.
•: Pranks are dangerous
Police have issued a stern warning to Guy Fawkes pranksters after several letterboxes were blown to smithereens by lethal home-made sparkler bombs in the Far North.
"A sparkler bomb could blow off fingers or a hand. Shrapnel is flying through the air and people could get injured, maimed or even killed if they get a piece of shrapnel in the head from a wooden or metal letterbox," Kaitaia senior sergeant Gordon Gunn said.
Kaitaia police have referred two boys to Youth Aid after catching them with undetonated sparkler bombs this week.
At least three letterboxes had been blown up while a public toilet had also been targeted by sparkler bomb pranksters in the Far North.
"If we catch people with them we aim to prosecute. If you are over 17 you are in a criminal court and damage to property constitutes arson," said Mr Gunn. "We are talking heavy-duty criminal offences..."
Those convicted could also have problems with overseas travel in the future, he warned. And police had the power to stop and search vehicles if they suspected the bombs were being carried.
"It's unfortunate that an irresponsible few are turning innocent sparklers into a lethal device."
• Public fireworks displays recommended Forget the backyard bonfire on Guy Fawkes night, put away the matches, lock up the pets and go to a public firework display. These are suggestions the public is likely to hear more often as public safety organisations join forces to call for a ban on fireworks sales.
A New Zealand Fire Service survey found 54 percent of New Zealanders thought over-the-counter sales of fireworks should stop.
"It is certainly a message the Fire Service is putting out there," says Northland regional commander Trevor Andrews. "We'd like to see controlled fireworks displays only."
The service's muscle will also be called on when the SPCA begins lobbying the new Government to ban fireworks sales other than for public displays, SPCA national chief executive Robyn McDonald said.
In the meantime, the Whangarei SPCA branch will actively use next Saturday's public fireworks display put on by Whangarei Lions to get its message across.
"We always try to make people aware of the need to keep their pets inside, but one thing we are doing this year is promoting public fireworks displays," said Whangarei manager Francine Shields.