Farming contractor Kaleb Cooper, who has become a household name since starring in the TV series Clarkson’s Farm, made an emergency call yesterday after seeing the lanterns
Kaleb Cooper, the breakout star from Jeremy Clarkson’s hit show Clarkson’s Farm, issued a fiery warning against the peril of releasing Chinese lanterns amidst the blazing heatwave sweeping the Cotswolds.
The farmhand-turned-celebrity took to Instagram on Saturday (July 12) to voice his shock over the sight of lanterns drifting skyward near Chipping Norton.
Using an Instagram video captioned “what is going on in the world” as his platform, Kaleb’s message, though visually obscure due to darkness, hit home clearly with his earnest appeal.
Upping the drama, he declared: “I’ve just called this in to 999 but someone has felt the need to light two Chinese lanterns in and around the Chipping Norton area. They are currently floating over the area. I’m looking at both of them as we speak right now.”
Shedding light on the reckless act amid drought-like conditions, he commented: “But what goes through someone’s mind when they decide to light two Chinese lanterns in the middle of a heatwave. We’ve hardly had any rain since March. Jesus, honestly. What’s going on with the world.”
In the comments section of his post, followers chimed in, endorsing his plea for common sense in these tinderbox times. One fan urged: “People need educating mate. Spread the message.”
Another backed him firmly, saying: “Well said Kaleb, this could quite easily start a wildfire.” A third lamented: “Some people really don’t have a clue. The farmer’s field next to mine is that dry I can literally put my whole hand down the cracks of the soil.”
Adding fuel to the fire, a fourth remarked: “They should never do this for any celebration. They let some of these off for a wedding near me. They set fire to someone’s house and barn when they landed. Plus livestock can ingest them when they land. It’s like balloon releases. It’s littering, pure and simple. Should be banned.”
The Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service takes a firm stance on sky lanterns, as shared on their website: “Sky lanterns are a beautiful sight – but the potential damage they can cause is significant.”
The advice further notes: “They use the heat of a naked flame to float. They’re not only a fire hazard but also a danger to livestock, agriculture, camping activities, thatched properties and hazardous material sites.”
Highlighting the uncontrollable nature of these airborne hazards, the rescue service cautions: “Whilst ignition and launch are mostly in the control of the user, the actual flight path and end destination are not. There’s no guarantee the fuel cell will be completely out and cooled when the lantern lands, so any contact with a flammable surface could start a fire.”
They’ve been a menace, causing havoc aplenty, the service observes: “There’s evidence of them causing fires, wasting police time, being mistaken for distress flares, misleading aircraft and killing livestock.”
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