Girl, 6, left with severe burns after being hit in neck by firework

Girl, 6, left with severe burns after being hit in neck by firework The girl had been enjoying a fireworks display with family members when one firework shot sideways and struck a swing before changing direction and hitting the child A six-year-old girl was left with severe burns after she was hit in the beck before her clothes were set on fire. The youngster had gathered with family members to enjoy a firework display in her back garden when disaster struck at the end of October last year. Her mum said despite following all the safety instructions, one of the fireworks shot sideways and hit a swing set before changing direction and striking her daughter in the neck and shoulder. Seconds later, her clothes were engulfed in flames and she was rushed to hospital where she had to undergo skin grafts. The mum, who wishes to remain anonymous, says her little girl has been left with lasting physical and mental injuries and is now warning of the dangers of fireworks. She said they had deliberately bought low-noise fireworks to be mindful of their pets and followed all the safety guidance. But when one of the fireworks failed to launch properly, instead of travelling skyward, it shot sideways across the garden. The mum 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. "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, her clothes had caught fire." The mum said the family "panicked" before ripping off the girl's dress and getting her in the shower to begin cooling the burns. She added: "We then wrapped the affected area in cling film and rushed her to A&E. At that point, we had no idea just how much this accident was going to change our lives. "The burns were so severe that, later in November, our daughter had to undergo surgery for a skin graft. She then had to endure dressing changes every two days, which were incredibly difficult for her. "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. "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. "Even when people take precautions and follow the instructions, something can still go wrong. We hope that by sharing what happened to our daughter, people will think very carefully about the risks involved with fireworks and understand that the consequences of an accident can be far more serious than they ever imagine. "Before that night, we never imagined that a firework would hit our daughter. We never imagined that something intended to be part of a family celebration could result in our daughter needing surgery, a skin graft and repeated painful dressing changes. "We certainly never imagined that one evening would leave physical and emotional scars that our daughter may carry for the rest of her life. As a family, this is something we will never forget, and something we will always wish had never happened." 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.”