Several children and adults have been reportedly injured after fireworks ‘went into a crowd’ at an organised display in Staffordshire yesterday evening.
The terrifying incident unfolded at an event hosted by Stone Swynnerton Park Cricket Club, in Stone, which is thought to have been attended by around 3,000 people.
Eyewitness reports suggest that the fireworks veered off course and and hit approximately six people at around 7pm.
One onlooker, named Flora Byatt, said a call was put out on a public address system asking for a first aider and then, after a pause, the fireworks resumed.
Ms Byatt told Stoke-On-Trent Live: ‘A firework went off into the crowd and a load of people ran away. I heard an announcement made that they were asking for a first aider and I was told that six people were hit by fireworks. The fireworks later resumed.’
The terrifying incident unfolded at an event hosted by Stone Swynnerton Park Cricket Club, in Stone, which is thought to have been attended by around 3,000 people
The event at the club on Lichfield Road (pictured) was advertised online as a ‘Fireworks Extravaganza’ in association with Kidsgrove-based firm Monumental Fireworks
Some witnesses hit out at the cricket club on Facebook and questioned why they ‘resumed’ the fireworks after the incident.
Claire Deakin said: ‘It came straight at us… well my 6-year-old son, my daughter & a baby in a pram, they were scared witless I cannot believe it restarted, utterly outrageous!’
Another witness, Michael Jones, added: ‘It hit the family standing right beside us. We felt the heat as it came into us. My son’s hood is singed.’
Another woman described how she had to ‘throw’ her daughter out of the way after a firework ‘came right at’ her and her partner and two children.
Roxanne Martindale said: ‘It came right at myself, my two children and my other half, I had to throw my daughter. We left after it happened, hope everyone else was ok.’
Karen Bowen said: ‘One firework took off across the grass and exploded in front of a warden and then two or three fireworks followed across the grass and exploded into the crowd. It was dangerous so we left immediately.’
The event at the club on Lichfield Road was advertised online as a ‘Fireworks Extravaganza’ in association with Kidsgrove-based firm Monumental Fireworks.
Punters were charged £5 enter the event and those under-16 got in for free.
Jodie Lythgoe said: ‘Glad we were set back a little but it still came towards us. Got it on video with filming the display. Hope everyone at the front and those hit are ok.’
Nichola Wenlock said: ‘It was terrifying running with our children, very sad to know people are injured.’
One observer said that her children were ‘terrified’ and so they ended up leaving the event.
David Nutt said: ‘I was there and also cannot believe they carried on. Could not believe the announcement from the Stafford FM DJ about a delay due to a technical bother. There is no way they should have carried on, very poor decision.’
‘Some landed right in front of my grandchildren. We literally had to drag them away. They’re absolutely terrified. And to top it off they carried on letting them off,’ another onlooker wrote.
Staffordshire Police told Stoke-On-Trent Live that they were not called out to the incident.
Stone Swynnerton Park Cricket Club confirmed a ‘briefing’ was bring held. Nobody has been available for comment.
have contacted Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, West Midlands Ambulance Service and Stone Swynnerton Park Cricket Club for comment.