Campaigners in a community notorious for scenes of Bonfire Night chaos said their "patience has run out" as it emerged new powers to restrict the use of fireworks are not being used by the local authority.

Pollokshields, in the Southside of Glasgow, has repeatedly endured dangerous firework misuse despite promises of a crackdown following a riot on November 5, 2018.

Local groups banded together to call for change and the Scottish Government launched a public consultation in 2019 on the sale and use of fireworks, finally introducing fresh legislation that came into force in June this year.

Residents had hoped the local authority would move swiftly to use new powers allowing councillors to designate "firework control zones".

However, Glasgow City Council said the necessary processes to implement such a measure would take time and could not be introduced before next year.

Danny Phillips, who campaigned for fireworks restrictions, rubbished the council's stance. He said: "They have had plenty of time. They have known this was coming for years.

"Our patience has run out frankly."

Mr Phillips said pyrotechnics are already in nightly use in the area and locals fear a repeat of previous firework incidents.

He added: "You can feel it all building it up again this year. It's not the worst it's been but it's still there but after a while you think, 'Well, at least they're not firing them horizontally up the street at the moment,' but that's indicative of how bad it is, that that's a plus.

"The fireworks are building up, they are loud, they are being fired at all times of the day and night so we're no further forward.

"We have that worry every year that it's going to be another year of more disruption for the community, that it will be unsafe, that fireworks are being set off at all times, people not following the guidelines.

"There was the terrible year with the riots and maybe we will have that again, maybe we won't, but we will certainly all be indoors locking our shutters and closing the curtains to get away from it all.

"Back in the day, it was Catherine wheels and Roman candles and sparklers. Now it's these massive, industrialised fireworks like Nuclear Attack, Total Wipeout - they are a different level of firework, they are huge and very, very, very loud."

Glasgow City Council said that last year, for the first time, the local authority set up a Multi-Agency Control Centre in the lead up to November 5, bringing together various organisations in one location to quickly tackle any issues which arise.

A spokesperson said this will happen again this year and urged the public to report any antisocial behaviour involving fireworks to Police Scotland.

Jon Molyneux, Green councillor for Pollokshields who backed anti-fireworks campaigners, said: "I’m pleased that the guidance which councils must follow to designate local areas as Fireworks Control Zones has now been published.

"As part of that, councils are encouraged to develop a mechanism for community requests to be considered.

"I think it is important that residents in Pollokshields, who continue to be significantly affected by the excessive and dangerous use of fireworks, have that opportunity.

"In the meantime, multi-agency partners continue to use their existing powers to address the serious problem of fireworks misuse in Pollokshields.

"The information which has been shared with residents on what constitutes a fireworks offence and how people can report those is important, both to deal with problems as they arise, but also to make the case for using additional powers."

Pollokshields has been a hotspot for some of the worst firework misuse in Glasgow but in 2018 Bonfire Night saw gangs set off pyrotechnics in the street, injuring a young child and firing rockets at police.

The community came together to call on politicians and police to stop dangerous gang activity, pushing for a complete fireworks ban.

This, however, would involve using legislation reserved to Westminster so instead changes have now been made to the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Bill that severely limits their use in Scotland.

The Bill, which came into force on June 30 this year, allows fireworks to be bought and used by members of the public only at certain times of the year, such as November 5, Hogmanay, Chinese New Year and Diwali.

A new licensing system means members of the public will need a licence to buy and use fireworks and businesses must check if those buying pyrotechnics have a licence.

It also becomes an offence to give fireworks to a child or buy them on behalf of a child.

Crucially for campaigners, councils can establish firework control zones where it will be an offence for fireworks to be used other than in a firework display or for essential purposes.

A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said: "New discretionary powers to designate Firework Control Zones were given to Scottish local authorities in June 2023.

"The procedure for considering the introduction of a control zone is complex. It involves public consultation with a wide range of interested parties following a request by an individual or community group.

"Unfortunately, in Glasgow and many other local authorities, timescales did not permit the introduction of control zones this year, but they will be an additional measure at our disposal going forward.

"In the meantime, our Trading Standards officers are conducting proactive checks around the licensing of retailers, safe storage of fireworks, restrictions on their sales including test purchasing in relation to underage sales and sales outside permitted dates and times."