Mixed reactions as Leeds community bonfire axed by council

Opinions are divided after a community bonfire that has been held on the same site in Leeds for at least 30 years has been stopped for health and safety reasons.

The annual spectacle organised by the people of Rawdon and Little London was due to take place as usual on council land adjoining Micklefield Park.

However, Rawdon councillor Graham Latty confirmed that Leeds City Council workers were dispatched to the site on Thursday and removed the firewood, leaving local residents involved in the bonfire deflated.The story has sparked a debate among the YEP's social media followers.

Rachel McInnes said: "Happened more than once around Leeds."

Gary Woolton said: "That is not health and safety gone mad, that is a body using it as an excuse."

Steve Waterhouse said: "People will just go back to having fires in their gardens."

However, some appeared to understand the council's position.

Ray Jones added that "it's fine moaning but the first concern should always be peoples' safety."

And Crescenzo Luciano Feliciello: "The council are just attempting to keep people safe, if they had turned a blind eye and there was a major incident [and] they would have been legally liable."