A Chinese lantern almost triggered a fire on a yacht.
The lantern landed on the front of a yacht at Eastbourne Marina and now fire fighters are warning people to be cautious.
A nearby boat-owner said: “I was on my boat in the Marina when one of the houses in the Madeira Way area of Sovereign Harbour South let off a Chinese lantern which floated over the Marina.
“Unfortunately, the lantern didn’t get enough height to either go over the marina or the flats on the other side, and thus landed on a yacht on the same pontoon we were on.
“Luckily, I was there and my friend and I managed to get the lantern off the boat before any major damage was done.
“If we hadn’t been there it would have caused a major fire, involving perhaps many boats.”
Eastbourne community safety manager, Steve Wright, said: “During the summer period, these lanterns pose an even greater threat.
“Locally, there has been concern raised about these lanterns landing in fields of dry crops.
“They have the potential to cause crop fires, but there is also the chance of causing harm to livestock on consuming the remains of these lanterns.”
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