Health and Safety Executive investigating after boy injured in an inflatable zorb ball in Southport

The Health and Safety Executive is investigating after a schoolboy was seriously injured after an inflatable zorb ball was 'raised' into the air in Southport.

The incident happened at Southport Food and Drink Festival at around 2pm on Sunday 4 June.

Merseyside Police say the nine-year-old boy was in the inflatable ball on a lake when he was "unexpectedly raised into the air before it landed on the grass".

He was airlifted to hospital from Victoria Park with multiple serious where he remains, the force added.

A second ball containing another child was also raised into the air at the same time, but the child was unharmed.

Merseyside Police were investigating the cause of the incident, amid reports that the zorb was blown by a gust of wind and are urging anyone with video or images of the incident to come forward.

But the force has now passed the investigation on to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

A spokesperson for HSE said: “We are investigating an incident in Southport on Sunday June 4 in which a nine-year-old-boy was seriously injured.

"We’ll provide further updates when appropriate.”

Police confirmed the boy remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital.

The company behind the zorb ball attraction said they wish the boy a "rapid recovery" and they're currently assisting with multi-agency investigations over this "terrible freak incident."

Sefton Council said following "a full health and safety inspection" the event, across the weekend, had remained open.

It added: “Our thoughts are with those involved in the accident and we wish them a full recovery.”

A North West Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "We were called at 1.56pm today. We did attend with an ambulance, a senior clinician and an air ambulance.

"A patient has been air-lifted to hospital with multiple serious injuries. They arrived at the hospital around 3pm."

Anyone with images of videos can upload them here.