With Congleton's annual Bonfire Night and firework display cancelled, councillors are calling on the community to be safe and adhere to the Covid-19 restrictions with an uplift in anti-social behaviour expected.

Cheshire Police inspector Kelly Johnston attended last Thursday's Congleton Town Council meeting of Community and Environment Committee to give councillors a verbal report on policing matters affecting Congleton.

She told councillors that the main focuses for Cheshire Police moving forward were Remembrance Sunday and an operation called 'Up Treacle', which is the police's response to Halloween and Bonfire Night.

Insp Johnston said: "It is a real difficult one this year. We do not anticipate there to be any bonfire events, but consequently we do expect an uplift in anti-social behaviour and some illegal bonfires."

Town Mayor, Cllr Sally Ann Holland queried whether residents should be treating the bonfire season as the same when the country was in complete lockdown and fires were not allowed due to people being confined to their gardens and homes.

Insp Johnston said: "We do not want to be party poopers, but we anticipate that there will be family bonfires because there is not going to be any official bonfires taking place.

"I think people have got to be sensible. If you are at home in your back garden and are a family of six there isn't anything stopping you having a fire. We would only be concerned if the fire were out of control or if there was a large number of people."

Cllr Kay Wesley suggested that the town council stepped up their awareness and published some safety information in their Bear Necessities October newsletter.

Cllr Holland added: "With fireworks obviously it is going to be heightened for A&E potentially, but if people are going to do it, we need to get a message out there about being safe."

Insp Johnston told the committee that officers will be in constant dialogue with big retailers and be informed if there has been a "big surge" in the number of fireworks bought by an individual or group.