A ten-year-old boy could lose his eyesight after a “freak accident” when a firework exploded in his face.
Mum Nicola Sayers, 38, watched in horror as the rocket knocked her son, Tyler Norris-Sayers, to the floor which then set him on fire.
Tyler suffered horrendous burns to his right eye after the firework exploded in his face when it tipped over during an organised display and flew into the spectating crowds.
Accounts manager Nicola said she did not blame anyone for what she described as a “freak accident” – but warned other parents to take extra care with their children during festive season.
Mum-of-one Nicola said: “Obviously accidents do happen – but would I tell other parents to keep an eye on their children, especially around fireworks.
“Over the past few days people have told me similar things with fireworks and horror stories.
“Fireworks now are not like they used to be and they are just getting more and more dangerous – especially the bigger ones made in Japan.”
Adding: “I do not blame the club or organisers in anyway – I would just advise others to be extra careful and stand well back when watching fireworks.”
Members of the crowd who were watching the displays in Burnley, Lancs., rushed Tyler to the clubhouse and treated him with ice packs – before paramedics took over.
Doctors have said they do not yet know if Tyler’s sight will be affected – but the youngster’s tear ducts were damanged and he says he can only see light and shapes.
Describing the horror unfold, Nicola said: “We were stood next to each other behind the safety barrier and all of a sudden the firework seemed to explode.
“As the firework has gone to shoot off, it’s come into the crowd – it knocked Tyler to the ground and I could just see him on fire.
“It was awful, I just froze – I couldn’t believe what had happened because it just all happened so quick.”
Speaking about her son’s injuries, Nicola added: “The stem cells have been damaged so that it cannot heal itself – the swelling has gone down but there could still be lasting damage.”
Tyler was rushed to Blackburn Royal Infirmary after the accident at the Railway Club in Burnley’s Rosegrove.
The youngster spent time at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital burns unit and his mum Nicola Sayers has kept a constant bedside vigil since the horror accident.
Speaking after Tyler was discharged from hospital, Nicola said: “Tyler has been very brave indeed and we have kept his spirits up.
“He knows what has happened to him and we have told him everything the doctors have said.”
Off-duty nurse Billie Jolly was the one who rushed forward to help Tyler into the clubhouse and rallied staff for cold compresses to place on his injuries.
Nicola, of Burnley, Lancs., said: “Billie was fantastic, she knew just what to do and she was so reassuring to me and Tyler, and spoke to us both to keep us calm.”
Tyler was later transferred to Manchester where specialists cleared debris from his eye to determine the extent of the damage.
But top medics could not examine his eye because it was so badly swollen – surrounding the wound in a special membrane allowing for the stem cell that has been damaged to grow back.
Nicola added: “Tyler’s tear ducts have been damaged too so there isn’t enough moisture in his eye to help it repair.
“He can see light and shapes but everything is very blurry at the moment.
“Doctors do say that if the membrane doesn’t work to repair the eye – then Tyler will have to have an operation to correct it.”
She added: “The eye is the worst part the firework could have hit – because it’s so delicate.”
Whittlefield Primary School Tyler lives with his mum and her partner Chris Evans, who runs his own business A2z Canopies in Burnley, also where Nicola works.
A woman, aged 60, and an eight-year-old girl were also injured during the accident.
Burnley CID did launch an investigation – but have referred the incident to Lancashire County Council, Health and Safety Executive and Trading Standards.
