Fireworks set off panic attacks - veteran with PTSD

Pete White, 38, served nine years in the RAF and was deployed to Afghanistan.

An RAF veteran who served in Afghanistan wants greater restrictions on the sale and use of fireworks, saying they would spark "significant panic attacks" in him.

Pete White worked as a communications engineer and was medically discharged after nine years of service in 2017 when he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The sound of fireworks would take the 38-year-old back to Afghanistan, telling his body there was an immediate threat. "It was an absolute uncontrollable sense of terror and panic, and I used to have quite significant panic attacks," he said.

Combat Stress helped him to not be triggered by fireworks, but he wants more advance notice for when displays are held.

"At the end of the day we're selling explosives to civilians that are completely unsupervised," said the married father of one, who now works as a leadership development manager in the health and social care sector.

"I believe that if we have organised displays where the time and the date are advertised so people like me can prepare for that mentally, that it would help."

In the UK, fireworks can only be sold to adults aged 18 and over, and retailers must have a licence to sell them.

The law is in place to ensure safety and prevent underage individuals from purchasing fireworks.

Mr White was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 and medically discharged in 2017 with PTSD

Mr White explained how the change in his mood and mental health started following his return to civilian life.

"As time went on, things deteriorated more and more, and it started to have a detrimental impact on my relationship and my career, on me personally and my health.

"Things snowballed, and I became half the person I used to be."

Fireworks can only be sold in the UK to adults aged 18 and over and retailers need to have a licence

Mr White also said more awareness was needed around PTSD among veterans to ensure it was not misunderstood.

"It's not just about feeling scared or feeling a bit upset; it really can set back people's recovery journey by months or sometimes years.

"It has such a massive impact upon careers and relationships."

He added, "I went for weeks at a time when I couldn't go into work because the anxiety was so bad, it would cripple me."

But he described the support he received from Combat Stress, a charity which supports veterans with mental health, as "life-changing".

Through the charity's help, he said he was no longer triggered by fireworks but understood that may not be the same experience for others.

Robert Marsh at Combat Stress said the charity sees around a 25% spike in calls on their helpline at this time of year

Combat Stress said it sees around a 25% spike in calls on their helpline at this time of year.

The charity said they did not want to see fireworks banned but have called on the government to hold an independent review into current fireworks legislation.

Robert Marsh, director of fundraising for the charity, said they want to see a "limiting of the window fireworks are available to the public; tightening of age verification and for sellers to supply firework safety information".

They would also like to see a restricted timeframe in which public displays can be held.

Mr Marsh added: "It is not untypical for veterans to say they are hypervigilant, so they're walking along a street looking at rooftops and tripwires and snipers.

"And if they hear uncontrolled explosions that come with a firework, that can be incredibly triggering and difficult for their own mental health, wellbeing and stability."