Fireworks tear into families and children with 14 injured after Amersbury display turns to disaster

One boy suffered five burns to his face, witnesses said

Many who fled from the ruined display at The Antrobus Hotel ran ‘with their clothes on fire’ (Screengrab)

Fireworks tore into a crowd of families and children and left 14 injured during an organised display when an evening of planned Halloween fun turned into a disaster, officials said.

One boy reportedly suffered burns to his face while others were trampled as scores fled when rockets started raining down during the event in a hotel garden.

A video shows revellers looking on at an area cordoned off for the bonfire night show in Amesbury, Wiltshire, amid laughter when the first firework fired into the sky in an explosion of colours.

But seconds later screams were heard when the projectiles streamed towards onlookers and caused mass panic, with many racing from the scene with their clothes on fire, witnesses said.

Paramedics rushed to the scene and treated the 14 victims on the site.

Video of the display at The Antrobus Hotel was posted onto the Facebook page of the business but its administrators reportedly took it down.

Witnesses caught up in the nightmare spoke out after the event turned into a disaster.

Rachael Tomlinson told how she was at the front of the crowds with her daughter when the fireworks raced into onlookers.

She told the BBC: "I was a bit shaken as it was really close to my eye. The ambulance crews put ice on it.

"I saw a lady in the toilet whose hat was black where it had been burnt and another lady had to put her hat out because it caught fire.

"I saw a little boy with five burns on his face and he was really shaken up."

Natalie Morris said: "After things went bad there was no shelter and no safety exits so we were sitting ducks, fireworks coming over the top of us and exploding at our feet, sheltering kids with ourselves.

"We are all traumatised but safe, my daughter plucked up courage to try and enjoy fireworks and has now been scarred for life."

The South Western Ambulance Service confirmed spectators were injured at the spectacle.

A statement issued to The Independent read: "We attended and treated 14 people, none of whom had serious injuries and none of whom needed to be taken to hospital."

Wiltshire Police said that “some of the fireworks on igniting had tipped over and fired in the direction of the crowd which included a number of young children”.

Organisers of display at The Antrobus Hotel said the disaster happened when there was a fault with a display box packed with fireworks.

A statement sent to The Independent read: "It appears that some of the fireworks, on igniting, had tipped over and fired in the direction of the spectators which did include a number of young children.

“Currently the Wiltshire Council Licensing Department are investigating.”