A six-year-old girl suffered severe burns and required a skin graft after a faulty firework fired sideways, struck a swing set and hit her in the neck and shoulder. The incident happened at the end of October last year while the family was enjoying a firework display in their back garden.
The girl's mother, who wishes to remain anonymous, said the family had deliberately bought low-noise fireworks to be mindful of their pets and had followed all the safety instructions. However, one firework failed to launch properly and shot sideways across the garden instead of travelling skyward.
Faulty firework strikes child
The mother said: "It was supposed to be a lovely evening where we could spend time together, enjoy some food and have a few fireworks. Because we have animals, we were particularly conscious about the noise.
"We chose low-noise, quieter fireworks because we wanted to enjoy the evening while minimising the distress and fear that fireworks can cause animals. We also took the safety instructions seriously."
She added: "We followed all of the instructions on the firework packaging, made sure the fireworks were set up correctly and kept to the recommended safe distance. We genuinely believed we had taken every precaution we could to keep our family safe.
"Sadly, that wasn't enough. When one of the fireworks was lit, it was faulty it did not go up as it should have. Instead of travelling straight up into the air, it fired sideways.
"It hit a swing set that had been moved out of the way and bounced back towards the other side of the garden, where our family was standing. It hit our six-year-old daughter in the neck and shoulder."
Within seconds, the girl's clothes caught fire. The family "panicked" before ripping off the girl's dress and getting her in the shower to begin cooling the burns. They then wrapped the affected area in cling film and rushed her to A&E.
Surgery and lasting impact
The burns were so severe that, later in November, the girl had to undergo surgery for a skin graft. She then had to endure dressing changes every two days, which the mother described as "incredibly difficult" for the child.
The mother said: "For a six-year-old child, having to repeatedly go through painful and frightening treatment is something no parent ever wants to see their child experience. And the effects haven't simply been physical.
"Our daughter will unfortunately carry the physical and emotional effects of that night with her for the rest of her life. As a family, we will also carry what happened with us forever."
She added: "What makes this particularly difficult for us is that we never thought this could happen. We weren't being careless. We weren't ignoring the safety instructions. We had deliberately chosen quieter fireworks because of our animals.
"We followed the instructions on the box, set the fireworks up correctly and kept to the recommended safe distance. We did what we believed we were supposed to do.
"And yet, a faulty firework still ended up hitting a six-year-old child. We want people to understand that fireworks can cause devastating burns and life-changing injuries in seconds."
Charity warning after surge in injuries
The warning comes after the Children's Burns Trust charity said firework injuries have surged 63 per cent in the last year. Ken Dunn, consultant burns and retired plastic surgeon who is vice chair of Children's Burns Trust, said: "We are deeply concerned by the sharp rise in firework injuries to children.
"A single spark can cause life-changing burns, scarring and long-term rehabilitation and the recent 63 per cent increase in child injuries is a stark reminder that fireworks are not harmless toys. Please attend organised public displays, keep children well away from fireworks and sparklers, and know how to respond quickly if a burn occurs, early action can make a real difference."
Becky Guy, senior policy manager at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said: "RoSPA encourages families to attend organised firework displays wherever possible, as these are the safest way to enjoy the celebrations.
"If you're planning to use fireworks at home, it's important to buy them from a reputable retailer, follow the instructions carefully, and ensure children are supervised and kept well away from fireworks.
"Sensible precautions can help prevent serious injuries and ensure everyone enjoys Bonfire Night safely."
