Cambridgeshire fire crews urge residents not to light sky lanterns to celebrate Chinese New Year

Today marks Chinese New Year - which this year is the Year of the Ox.

However, today a spokesman for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service urged people not to use sky lanterns to mark the occasion. They said: "Whilst they might look impressive as they float off into the night, they also pose a significant fire hazard to buildings and wildlife when they finally come to land.

"A lantern landing on a thatched roof for example, could cause thousands of pounds worth of damage and tie up the emergency services for hours."