OLDHAM Council leader Arooj Shah has demanded the Co-Op bans the sale of disposable barbecues from its Saddleworth stores.
The devices have been blamed for causing several moorland fires in the area through summer and dry periods.
Now Cllr Shah has called on the store chain to make sure they cannot be purchased from its branches in Delph, Uppermill and Grotton.
Her letter came in the back of a blaze at nearby Meltham Moor at the beginning of August, at which firefighters found a disposable barbecue near to its seat.
Saddleworth Parish Councillor raised the alarm at a meeting in July following reports they are once again on sale in local Co-op stores.
He said: “I’m very sorry to have been proved right to have warned that disposable barbeques remain a menace to Saddleworth’s moors and open spaces.
“It’s no use reacting once the damage has been done, local businesses need to play their part in helping to protect our beautiful moors and the birds and animals they are home to.”
Oldham Council confirmed the Public Spaces Protection Order banning fires on Saddleworth Moor remains in place.
And Councillor Shah said: “Oldham Council continues to work with the RSPB and United Utilities and other partners to ensure that Dove Stone and the wider moorland are kept safe.
“Moorland fires are entirely avoidable and making it harder for people to get hold of a disposable barbeque is an easy step to take.”
Meanwhile cheap publicity and tacky political posturing aside.
Big K Instant BBQ Tray-Pack of 4 Instant Light Charcoal Grill Trays with Topline Card, ideal for Garden BBQs, Camping, Outdoor parties and Picnics.
£19.99 from Amazon.
Assuming of course that it ever finally stops raining.