Rise in "laughing gas" canisters found in Thornton sparks safety warning

Wyre Council said they were being found increasingly frequently, as several empty containers were spotted by a member of the public in Thornton.

Posting on Facebook about his find on Heys Street on Wednesday, Richard Walmsley shared photos of the littered canisters and warned people to “watch (their) kids don’t pick them up.”

Nitrous oxide, commonly known as “laughing gas”, is a colourless gas used in the catering industry for whipping cream and for filling balloons.

However, it can also be used as a drug and is covered by the 2016 Psychoactive Substances Act, which means supply and production can be punished with up to seven years in prison.

A spokesman for Wyre council said: “Unfortunately we are increasingly finding empty nitrous oxide canisters in public areas. Our environmental officers have attended the scene and cleared away all empty canisters.

“We would remind the public that when inhaled, nitrous oxide can have dangerous side effects and must be avoided.”