Fires, missiles and horses are all covered by a proposed new set of by-laws for 212 parks and green spaces around Bristol, and the council is asking you – the public – for the nod.

Sound exciting? It’s not. The city is updating old Victorian by-laws – local laws made by councils – and adding a few newbies, like rules on flying ever more ubiquitous drones.

So if you don’t want someone guiding a mini helicopter with a camera over your barbecue as you tan in your bikini or you have strong views on archery, then check out our selection of the most interesting new laws below – and get involved.

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1. No person shall without the consent of the council turn out or permit any animal for which he is responsible to graze in the ground. This won’t apply to sheep grazing rights for “commoners” on the Downs introduced as part of a special 1861 Act of Parliament.

Credit: St John’s Primary School

2. No person shall kill, injure, take or disturb any animal, or engage in hunting or shooting or the setting of traps or the laying of snares save where written permission has been granted by the council to enable the undertaking of pest control and deer culling. You can’t move for snares in Victoria Park these days.

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3. No person shall without the consent of the council erect a tent or use a vehicle, caravan or any other structure for the purpose of camping. Given the recent rise in homeless people pitching tents in parks around the centre, this one could be a real problem to enforce.

Credit: Paul Saville

4. (1) No person shall light a fire or place, throw or drop a lighted match or any other thing likely to cause a fire. (2) Byelaw 9(1) shall not apply to: (a) the lighting of a fire at any event for which the council has given permission that fires may be lit; or (b) the lighting or use, in such a manner as to safeguard against damage or danger to any person, of a properly constructed camping stove, in a designated area for camping, or of a properly constructed barbecue, in a designated area for barbecues. Note the “designated area” point in this one. Also, always make sure when you light things to do it “in such a manner as to safeguard against damage or danger to any person”, whether you are in a park or not.

Photo by Pete Stanton (Flikr)

5. No person shall throw or use any device to propel or discharge in the ground any object which is liable to cause injury to any other person. This one falls under the “missiles” subheading. Now, as the bylaws pile up here, it becomes increasingly clear that hunting grazing sheep with missiles from horses will not be tolerated at all.

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6. Where horse-riding is permitted by virtue of byelaw 13(1)(a) or a lawful right or privilege, no person shall ride a horse in such a manner as to cause danger to any other person. Speaks for itself, really.

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7. No person shall ride a cycle in the ground in such a manner as to cause danger or reasonable fear of injury to any other person. Similar to the horses one. Depends on your definition of “reasonable fear of injury”. Some people are scared of spiders.

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8. No person shall without the consent of the council leave or cause or permit to be left any motor vehicle in the ground between the hours of 10pm and 6am. Anyone who thought they would circumvent the new parking restrictions on roads by the Downs by parking on the actual Downs will be caught out by this one.

Cars are being towed on Durdham Downs to make way for new parking restrictions that start this weekend. pic.twitter.com/tRmZInWRLK — Made in Bristol TV (@madeinbristoltv) December 11, 2015

9. No person shall engage in the sport of archery except in connection with an event organised by or held with the consent of the council. Can’t move for archers in St George Park.

Election Themed Fun Shoot! 10/05/15 #election #Farage A photo posted by University Of Bristol Archery (@uobarchery) on May 11, 2015 at 12:28pm PDT

10. No person shall throw or put any javelin, hammer, discus or shot except in connection with an event organised by or held with the consent of the council or on land set aside by the Council for that purpose. Anyone remember that episode of 999?

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11. No person shall cause any power-driven model aircraft to: (a) take off or otherwise be released for flight or control the flight of such an aircraft; or (b) land in the ground without reasonable excuse; other than in a designated area for flying model aircraft. Drones are also not allowed to be flown within 50 metres of a property or a person without a licence, under Civil Aviation Authority regulations. They must also always remain in the pilot’s line of sight.

12. (1) No person shall, after being requested to desist by any other person in the ground, make or permit to be made any noise which is so loud or so continuous or repeated as to give reasonable cause for annoyance to other persons in the ground by: (a) shouting or singing; (b) playing on a musical instrument; or (c) by operating or permitting to be operated any radio, amplifier, tape recorder or similar device. (2) Byelaw 27(1) does not apply to any person holding or taking part in any entertainment held with the consent of the council. Bongo drums have been known to “give reasonable cause for annoyance” no matter how loud or continuous. That applies to shouting too. No tape recorders either! Except if you’re at one of the growing number of festivals in parks these days, where it’s tape recorders galore, as any of the kids will tell you.

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13. No person shall without reasonable excuse remove from or displace within the ground any stone, soil or turf or the whole or any part of any plant, shrub or tree. You can think again about picking that blackberry for your crumble. No more foraging!

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14. No person shall except in case of emergency or with the consent of the council take off from or land in the ground in an aircraft, helicopter, hang glider or hot air balloon. Can’t move for manned aircraft in St Andrew’s Park.

15. Any person offending against any of these byelaws may be removed from the ground by an officer of the council or a constable. Send in the heavies.

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16. Any person offending against any of these byelaws shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale. That’s up to and including £500. That’s Sterling, not Bristol Pounds.

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