Fireworks remand

A 47-YEAR-OLD Larnaca man was yesterday remanded in custody for two days in connection with possession of 360 firecrackers he had allegedly bought from a Turkish Cypriot man in the mixed village of Pyla.

Police told the court they were led to the man after reports that pupils at the Aradhippou secondary school were using firecrackers during break.

Officers who arrived on the scene questioned several pupils, among them the 14-year-old suspect’s son who told them that his father had bought the crackers from a Turkish Cypriot man in Pyla.

Police searched the suspect’s home and found eight boxes containing 360 firecrackers.

The 47-year-old man allegedly told police that he bought the Turkish-made crackers for £10 per box as a present to his son.

Larnaca Police Director Nicos Stelikos yesterday stressed the dangers from firecrackers and urged parents to avoid buying them for their children.

Stelikos said that police would crack down on the phenomenon and beef up measures to stop youths from buying firecrackers from Pyla.

Hundreds of youths are injured during Easter every year with Pyla being one of the main supply centres of ready-made firecrackers because of the lack of police.