What will the spoilsports try to ban next?

School activities are curtailed, children can't play conkers without goggles, skipping is banned in school playgrounds and women's institutes can't make and sell cakes.

Now efforts are being made to stop charity balloon releases.

It has been favourite fundraiser for numerous good causes over the years.

The balloons are let loose and the person whose balloon goes farthest wins the prize.

A pretty harmless activity, one would have thought.

Yet the do-gooders among us have found a reason why such events shouldn't take place - animals may pick up the discarded balloons and suffocate.

All right, there may be a risk to wildlife, but it is only a small one.

If it is a problem, let's try to find a solution, using balloons made of different materials.

Don't take the easy way out by banning everything. Society will be the loser if we do.