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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Letting fireworks off in our garden.

292 replies

raltheraffe · 30/10/2014 12:38

Yesterday I was letting some, admittedly large, fireworks off in our garden at about 7pm. Fireworks were going vertically upwards and not into neighbours gardens.

Anyway all hell breaks loose. Guy comes out of his house screaming at my DH that he is a "fucking nobhead" and starts banging on our gate which was padlocked.

I went back into the house and locked the front door. Went upstairs to son's bedroom. Window was open as I had been painting sons walls earlier. and curtains had been removed due to the DIY.

Next thing he is shouting at me "oi you, fucking nobhead at the window". By this time the neighbours 2 doors down, who cannot stand me, had come out and were joining in on the trouble.

I replied "go away or I will phone the police" as there was now a small crowd at the front gate. I then shut the window and turned the light off in the room.

Next thing the guy jumped the fence and came in garden banging on front door. I did not answer the door.

They hung around at the front gate for about 15 minutes then got bored and dispersed.

I can appreciate that they may not like fireworks as they may have pets that could have been scared. However another neighbour set some fireworks off (far more than I did) and no-one complained.

Not sure what to do now.

OP posts:
bigbluestars · 30/10/2014 12:40

He was out of order- but imo so were you. Setting off fireworks in your garden ( it's not even bonfire night ) is an irresponsible thing to do. Did you warn your neighbour that you were having fireworks?

DoughnutSelfie · 30/10/2014 12:41

Well DID you phone the police?

iPaddy · 30/10/2014 12:42

This reply has been deleted

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LadyHamiltonsPussy · 30/10/2014 12:43

Why were you letting fireworks off on 29th Oct? I'm sure most people are ok with neighbours having them on 5th Nov - with prior warning - but random fireworks give me the rage. Although your neighbours massively over-reacted and sound vile.

I prefer a traditional British method of complaining - tutting to dh in the living room.

I suggest next time you let neighbours know beforehand.

LuisSuarezFangs · 30/10/2014 12:43

You should have warned them. Sounds like he is the nobhead though.

scurryfunge · 30/10/2014 12:43

I wouldn't let fireworks off in an urban are so no wonder your neighbours were pissed off but their reaction was uncalled for. Stick to public displays, they are safer and you see more for your money.

Hurr1cane · 30/10/2014 12:44

We always have fireworks, but only little ones. No one complains, but why couldn't you go and talk to him?

Agrestic · 30/10/2014 12:44

Why does the other neighbour not like you?

Original poster
raltheraffe · 30/10/2014 12:44

Yes, I phoned them for advice as I was wondering if I had done something illegal letting fireworks off when it is not Bonfire night. They said I had not broken the law, but the other guy had and they wanted to come out and disperse the crowd. Anyhow, once the crowd went of its own accord I phoned them back and asked them not to come out as I did not need them then.

OP posts:
NorwaySpruce · 30/10/2014 12:45

It seems a bit of an aggressive reaction on the part of your neighbours, but it does sound as though you have a 'history'.

I have honestly never spoken to my neighbours, and I doubt they'd care if I let off fireworks once a year.

PurpleSwift · 30/10/2014 12:47

Ywbu. People with their own fireworks piss me off tbh. I'd ban all sales to members of the public. It's completely unnecessary.
Your neighbour sounds aggressive though. He handled it very badly.

Nancy66 · 30/10/2014 12:48

I don't think there's anything wrong with having fireworks at home if you have a big enough garden.

he could have objected in a more reasonable way.

HappyAgainOneDay · 30/10/2014 12:50

Why were you setting off fireworks on 29 October?

Original poster
raltheraffe · 30/10/2014 12:50

The other neighbours cannot stand me as there was an incident when our dog escaped and went sniffing some grass. He is only a little dog and was not being threatening in any way and was nowhere near them. I came out shouting for dog to come back in. Anyway the young lady who lives there started shouting "get that fucking dog on a fucking lead". At first I just ignored her and tried to retrieve dog who was on some wasteland near the car park area. Anyway she carried on, calling me a "fucking stupid cow". I responded that dog had shot out the house when DH who is blind opened the door and I was trying to get dog back. She continued screaming like a banshee and using industrial language. At this point her baby which was in a pram started crying and I said "you need to stop screaming you are upsetting your baby and scaring my (very timid) dog".
At this point the young mum's mother came out the house and started ballooning and then shoved me. I told her that was assault and it was being reported to police, which I did.

OP posts:
Original poster
raltheraffe · 30/10/2014 12:51

Happyagain,

Because I like fireworks.

OP posts:
signin · 30/10/2014 12:51

loads of people have pets who are petrified of fireworks , its bad enough trying to calm them down on bonfire night , nothing more annoying than a week before and after of people randomly letting them off .

Fudgeface123 · 30/10/2014 12:51

I agree with a PP, they should be banned to the general public

NorwaySpruce · 30/10/2014 12:52

I'd move house if I were you.

Your neighbours sound a bit peculiar.

Original poster
raltheraffe · 30/10/2014 12:52

I have no history with the guy. Only spoken to him once before when some guy delivered a tyre to his house, but he was out so we took the tyre in and when he got back home I gave him his tyre back.

OP posts:
BiancaDelRio · 30/10/2014 12:54

YABU.

It is only acceptable to let off fireworks in your garden if you live in a mansion in the middle of nowhere.

You probably scared numerous pets and small children.

Incredibly thoughtless.

SpringBreaker · 30/10/2014 12:55

industrial language??

ballooning?

Original poster
raltheraffe · 30/10/2014 12:57

industrial language is a commonly used description of swearing

ballooning may be a regional word. It basically means kicking off and shouting/ranting

OP posts:
Agrestic · 30/10/2014 12:58

Tbh I don't mind fireworks, if my neighbour set some off I'd be pleased I could watch without having to pay for them!

The whole situation sounds mental. I'm sure there's two sides to this story...

maddy68 · 30/10/2014 12:59

Lettingf fireworks off I your own garden is perfectly fine and legal.
They are knobs. You should all the police and let them deal with it

Mammanat222 · 30/10/2014 12:59

Hmmmm either you are incredibly unlucky and have two sets of "problem" neighbours or you are the problem neighbours?? Shock

It all sounds pretty grim though.

So you have reported other neighbour for assault, what happened?

Your hubby is blind you say? Blimey. Where you live sounds awful.