DORSET safety experts will continue counting the human cost of Bonfire Night, despite a government decision to abandon its UK firework-related injury survey.

The government move, ending four decades of collating national figures, has been met with anger by firework safety campaigners.

Noel Tobin, chairman of the National Campaign for Firework Safety, said he was "appalled" and the decision would hinder the work of safety campaigns.

But Dorset Fire and Rescue community safety advisor Trevor Abbott, who said firework-related injuries were low in Dorset, added: "We will continue to monitor local incidents when someone is injured as a result of a firework.

"We need this information, and while the national picture is important, our fire safety campaigns are targeted locally."

He explained how trends nationally may not be of particular concern to the county, but stressed a series of firework safety campaigns would start in Dorset schools in the run-up to November 5.

Mr Tobin said: "It comes as a great shock to all safety organisations and everyone who relies on the information in the survey."

A spokesman from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform said: "We won't be collecting the figures for the last year.

"The numbers of injuries has remained low and fairly steady, especially in the context of the millions of fireworks that are sold every year.

"The number of injuries that are classed as severe is less than 100.

"However, we do take the matter of safety very seriously and we do run a campaign every year with advertising and work in schools."

Mr Abbott said: "The most important thing I can stress is to make sure everyone attends an organised display.

"Incidents of injuries at organised displays are considerably less than private ones."