Three-quarters of the Dutch are irritated or annoyed by the New Year firework extravaganza, according to a survey of almost 2,500 people for local authority news website Binnenlands Bestuur.

Noise and litter are the main sources of irritation, the survey showed.

In total, 49% support a general ban on the sale of fireworks to private individuals but that rises to 54% if local councils organise a professional firework display instead.

Support for firework-free zones has gone up slightly from 76% to 78%. This year at least 56 of the Netherlands’ towns and cities will bring in firework-free zones for the New Year celebrations, according to research by the AD.

This means around one in seven local authorities now has an official fireworks policy, compared with around one in 11 last year. Groningen, Amersfoort, Alkmaar and Dordrecht are among the cities taking part for the first time. Most zones are set up around schools, care homes and city zoos.

Every year dozens of people are serious injured and millions of euros worth of damage are caused during the New Year firework frenzy.