Chinese lanterns, which have increasingly been used to mark special events like weddings and funerals, could be banned on council-owned land in Maidstone under new plans.

The lamps, of which some 200,000 are sold nationwide every year, are made of paper and consist of a candle or a fuel cell filled with paraffin wax suspended inside a frame of wire or bamboo.

When lit, they float gently upwards and drift away for several miles, reaching heights of up to 1,000m - landing when the fuel has run out.

The lanterns have become particularly popular as a symbolic way of commemorating departed loved ones in recent years, but are also widely used at music festivals and in Halloween celebrations.

However, Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) is set to impose the rule next week after calls from farmers’ groups and animal charities who claim they endanger livestock and wildlife.

It is argued animals can be injured or killed if trapped by the stray lanterns once they have landed, or cause tears and punctures if eaten.

There have also been cases of fires starting in farm buildings or natural habitats. That is on top of the impact of littering.

The issues have led the RSPCA, the Marine Conservation Society, Women’s Food and Farming Union, Soil Association and National Farmers’ Union to join forces and demand a ban.

"Falling lantern debris poses the risk of ingestion, entrapment, embedment and fires which can cause damage or kill animals" - Maidstone council report

The debate reached something of a head last June when organisers of Shine Up Fest, a large-scale lantern launch at the Kent Showground in Detling, bowed to public pressure and cancelled the event as criticism intensified.

In total more than 2,000 people signed a petition opposing the mass release.

This was despite organisers’ previous argument that their lanterns were of a new generation, using biodegradable materials, and that in any case, they would be able to predict where they would land, a quarter of a mile away, and have a team of litter-pickers ready to collect them.

An MBC report issued to councillors this week notes: “Even though some retailers claim ‘biodegradable’ lanterns are a safe alternative, bamboo can take decades to degrade and falling lantern debris still poses the risk of ingestion, entrapment, embedment and fires which can cause damage or kill animals.”

Also featuring in the report is a number of suggested alternatives to the lanterns, including stationary candles, night-lights, static lanterns, outdoor lights, bunting, flags, banners and ribbons.

It suggests a symbolic wish or memorial can be held by planting a tree or using indoor candles.

The ban is recommended to be agreed by members when the council’s heritage, culture and leisure committee meets on Tuesday evening at the Town Hall.

An information campaign will then be launched in the weeks that follow to discourage the use of such lanterns by residents and visitors.