REVELLERS are being urged not to release Chinese lanterns in the New Forest amid fears that they could cause a major blaze.

The long spell of hot, dry weather has prompted a warning that the flying candles could set fire to trees, heathland and thatched cottages.

Billed as a quieter, gentler alternative to fireworks, Chinese lanterns are often used to celebrate special events such as weddings and birthdays.

They can remain aloft for 20 minutes – but revellers stand accused of giving little thought to what happens when the devices land, and New Forest residents and visitors to the area are being urged to find another way of marking important occasions.

A Forestry Commission spokesman said: “We’re becoming increasingly concerned about the trend for releasing Chinese lanterns in the Forest.

“They’re obviously very attractive but the risk to heathland habitats is extremely high as they can land or catch on something while still burning.

“Owing to the extreme fire risk posed people should be asked not to release them in the area.”

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service issued a similar warning.

New Forest group manager Steve Foye said: “Chinese lanterns can present a risk should they come down on a thatched roof, standing crops or areas of the Forest that are currently quite dry.

“People using Chinese lanterns should do so responsibly and consider the risks to the surrounding countryside.”

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) says the devices also pose a serious danger to animals if they land in fields. The warning comes after a cow died in Cheshire after eating part of a lantern’s wire frame, which ruptured its stomach.

NFU leaders have written to the Department for Food and Rural Affairs to raise awareness of the dangers lanterns pose.