POTENTIALLY deadly fireworks have been stolen from a shop in Evesham and police have issued an urgent warning to people not to touch them.

The fireworks, described as "lethal" by the shop owner, pyrotechnician Rob Lewis, take less than a second to ignite after the touchpaper has been lit.

Police are concerned that if they fall into the wrong hands they could kill or maim not just the person lighting them but others in the vicinity.

Thieves struck at Celebration fireworks in Inches Lane between 10pm last Saturday and 9am on Sunday.

Police spokesman Richard Bull said: "The fireworks were produced for a major display and are among the biggest and most professional available. In the wrong hands they could cause very serious injury to those attempting to light them and members of the public in the area."

The stolen fireworks, worth £1,500, have fast-burning fuses and although they are a metre long the fuses will burn in less than a second. Among the haul are two hard-case boxes with latches, each containing six rockets in each box of 65mm diameter, Pyrovision Roman candles, two eight inch shells labelled Pyrotech, constructed like gunpowder medicine balls with long fast-burning fuses and six five-inch diameter shells also labelled Pyrotech.

Mr Lewis said: "The thieves don't have the tubes needed to fire the equipment out of and just firing the fireworks as they are will cause a considerable amount of damage, they set alight instantly. The damage it will cause is lethal."

Mr Lewis said the theft had not affected his business and he still retained plenty of stock.

Anyone with information should contact police on 08457 444888 quoting 285S/301005.