Mum of girl hit by firework recalls 'worst nightmare' as she warns of risks
Warning: Graphic images are contained in this article
A mum whose daughter was badly burned by a firework has recalled the moment her "worst nightmare" came true.
Rosie May was four years old when she was hit in the neck by a firework at a friend's garden display. She needed specialist treatment for the burns and spent five weeks in hospital.
Ellie Mason told ITV News about the night it happened. "We went to my friend's house for a display. We purposely have never done the big organized events because my eldest son is autistic and has ADHD so he doesn't like the crowds, but he likes the fireworks and my friend's children have autism as well so we thought it was a good opportunity just for them to get together."
"We got some decent fireworks from a decent wholesaler the children were fine and enjoying themselves. Then one went off a little bit of a stray and my eye caught it.
"You think nothing of it, and then the flare, - it was like in slow motion. I could see it but you just freeze and it flew into Rosie's coat into her neck which then caught fire. She didn't do anything. She just stood in complete silence and just froze.
"Rosie had burns going from the middle of her neck to her ear. She had singed eyelashes, singed fringe, lots of oozing of the sores. It wasn't nice to see your little girl in that way and not being able to take it away"."We stripped her off and the 999 call handler said to put her in a bath and to keep it wet."
Rosie then spent weeks in hospital having treatment for the injuries. Ellie praised the hospital staff for the care they both received.
More than 200,000 people signed a petition calling for firework sales to the public to be banned following a campaign by Rosie's family.
"People think they're just having fun but the reality of it is that they're explosives, they are dangerous. It can change lives of little ones and of entire families", she said.
"Whenever we hear a bang or firework, I get that knot in my stomach and think 'is Rosie ok?'".
Rosie and her family now actively campaign for safe use of fireworks at home as well as awareness around how to treat burns correctly.
Rosie has also been doing assemblies in her school to help warn her classmates of the dangers.
Ellie added, "If you are doing fireworks at home keep the little ones inside. Having first aid there and the advice of keep a burn cool for 20 minutes with running water, call the emergency services and cover with cling film, that's all we can do to help promote safety and prevention."