Charcoal charge

It is one of the timeless rituals of the new globally-warmed great British summer: firing up the barbecue and slinging on a steak.

But people who choose to burn charcoal may have to think twice - as councils now have swinging new powers to force homeowners to buy 'carbon offsets' before they light up or face a £50 fine.

The measures, which have been approved by the Climate Change Unit of the Department of Environment, Fisheries and Rural Affairs, are likely to severely curtail the number of barbecues Britons enjoy this summer.

Last summer an estimated 800,000 tonnes of charcoal were burned in British gardens.

According to Greenwood, a climate change pressure group, that amount would have created 50,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide - comparable to the amount given off by all British cars for one month.

"It may seem petty but when put together the amount of CO2 produced is really significant,' said Greenwood spokesman Luke Fairweather. "People are beginning to understand that they must curb the use of their cars in order to save the planet from catastrophe but they also need to consider other areas of their lives. And thinking before you barbecue is part of being a responsible human being."

Councils will approve barbecues only if the householder has bought a so-called carbon offset.

These should cost no more than £5 each and will allow sufficient barbecuing - as long as the cook is proficient - to create 20 steaks, or 40 if you like them rare.