Mother’s anger after baby is hit by firework

Colleen Burton had taken nine-month-old Theo and his older brother Alfie, six, to the bonfire and fireworks display at Glapwell Cricket Ground, in Park Avenue, on 5th November.

Moments after the display started, Theo was struck on his head by red-hot debris which narrowly missed his eyes.

Colleen (31), of Limetree Avenue, Glapwell, told Chad that medics said the toddler was lucky not to have been blinded.

She said: “We were watching the fireworks when Alfie suddenly said ‘mummy, something’s just hit my leg’.

“Then Theo just started screaming - it was pitch black so we had to take him inside to see what was the matter and we saw the burn on his head.

“A first-aider just told us it was superficial but luckily a nurse saw what had happened and said that Theo really needed to go to hospital.”

An ambulance was called and the child was taken to hospital in Chesterfield where he was treated for burns.

“Medical staff told me that Theo had been very lucky and that if the firework had hit him an bit lower it would have blinded him,” Colleen said.

“You take your children to these organised displays because you think they are going to be safe but I’ve had to speak out because this display wasn’t safe.”

The matter has now been referred to environmental health officers at Bolsover District Council.

A spokesman for the authority said: “I can confirm that we have received a complaint, which we are currently investigating.”

According to Government guidelines, people attending organised displays must be at least 25 metres from the ignition site and should be kept out of the area where debris may fall.

If a display is using larger fireworks, the person who ignites them must also be fully trained.

Rachel Hibbert, from the Glapwell Community Development Group, which organised the display, said that a risk assessment had been carried out and that all safety procedures were followed.

The fireworks were lit by a group member who had been fully trained and members of the public were kept more than 25 metres back by barriers, she said.

“This was basically a stray firework which went into the crowd and was something that we just could not forsee - we are utterly devastated about what has happened,” she said.

“But it was only a minor injury and could have been much worse. The family were standing right at the front and the firework seemed to veer towards the cricket pavilion rather than going up into the air.

“It wasn’t high enough when it exploded and subsequently parts of it came down on the crowd.”

Pictured: Baby Theo with mum Colleen, dad Travis and older brother Alfie.