Sky lanterns and helium balloons will be banned from being released on council land to help save the planet.

Dover District Council’s cabinet have voted for an immediate prohibition.

The objects are feared to harm wildlife but can also be mistaken for distress signals for coastguards, a meeting heard.

Trevor Bartlett, portfolio holder for property management and environmental health, said: “Helium balloons and sky lanterns damage the environment and also contribute to false alarms for coastguards.”

Cllr Nick Kenton, portfolio holder for environmental waste and health, said: “I understand people enjoying sky lanterns.

“They are an amazing sight. But they can be mistaken for flares.

“Plastic balloons drop down somewhere. But if someone dropped them in the High Street in Deal they would get a fixed penalty notice.”

Cllr Nigel Collor said: “Living near the coast, there is a concern among coastguards when they go up.

“They are not as bright as flares but in fog they can give a false impression.”

Helium-filled latex balloons released into the air are not classed as litter and there is no UK law to deal with setting these or sky lanterns off.

But councils are allowed to ban their practice on their own land and buildings.

More than 50 other UK councils have already done so.

An officers’ report to the cabinet said that in recent years outdoor balloon and sky lantern releases have become more common at summer fairs, fundraising events, new store openings, commemorations and celebrations.

But research shows that they can harm wildlife and cause risk of fire and damage.

The Marine Conservation Society has campaigned against the practice because of risk to wildlife on land and sea.

The National Farmers’ Unions says livestock can be harmed and lanterns can set fire to crops, grassland and stacked bales of hay and straw. This can in turn lead to nearby buildings catching light.

Also in favour of a ban are the Chief Fire Officers’ Association, the RSPCA, RSPB, and Keep Britain Tidy.

The RSPCA stresses animals become entangled in the wire or bamboo frames of lanterns or can eat parts, so suffering internal bleeding and dying slowly and painfully.

Hot air balloons are not covered by this prohibition and helium ones can only be set off for research, for example as weather balloons.

Masses of balloons are usually released for celebration but one family did it in sheer grief.

The Lyus family in Dover set them off to commemorate Steven Lyus eight days after he died suddenly at his home.

Mr Lyus’ sister Leanne says the family do not regret the ceremony and hope to do it again for the anniversary of his death next year.

Leanne told our sister paper the East Kent Mercury: “Everybody drives a car and drinks from plastic bottles so they are polluting the environment anyway.

“We wanted to celebrate Steven’s life and this was the only way we know.

“We would do it again in fact we will probably do it for his anniversary.

“When we released those balloons we wanted to celebrate Steven’s life and we couldn’t think of the environment at a time like that.”

Mr Lyus, 33, a single man and groundworker, was found dead at his home in Clarendon Place, Dover, on the morning of June 1.

The shocking discovery was made when a colleague called for him to take him to work.

Leanne says the family is hoping an inquest will reveal what happened as the post mortem examination was inconclusive.

The family had released the balloons on June 9 at Dover beach, which is Port of Dover land.

They consulted the port authority and took its advice to drop plans to also release lanterns on health and safety reasons.

The story of the balloon release was covered in the Mercury and its website.

But the online version attracted harsh comments from some readers, saying that the gesture was harming the environment.

Simes54 wrote: "There are far better ways of celebrating somebody’s life than balloon or lantern releases which are, quite frankly, tacky.

"I know this will possibly upset some people but I know I would be upset if something released at random in my name caused the death of an animal.”

L.W.IV said: “Maybe next time we’ll just pour a couple dozen barrels of crude oil into the sea instead.

"Maybe punch a couple of ducks too. It’s what old Uncle Joe would have wanted.”

Leanne now says: “Everyone is allowed their opinion but there was no need to be so blunt.

"Some people were very rude and should have shown respect.

“It was not the time or place to bring up the environment.

“They were just internet trolls with nothing better to do.”

Some commentators expressed sympathy the family’s grief but appealed against the use of balloons for such an occasions.

They hoped that people would, for the sake of the planet, eventually not want to do it.

Others sprang fiercely to the family’s defence. Penny Brown told their critics: “Just have some decency in keeping that to yourself.

“Yes someone who was greatly loved died tragically and people feel the need to send balloons into the sky as a way of saying goodbye.”

• Steven Lyus’ funeral service is at Barham Crematorium at 10am today. The wake is at the Bluebirds Functions Rooms in Snargate Street, Dover, from 11.30am.