Zorb ball flung over trees by gust of wind with boy, 9, trapped inside
A nine-year-old boy has been injured at a festival in Southport after a gust of wind picked up a zorb ball while he was inside.
The incident happened at the Southport Food and Drink Festival, which is taking place in the Merseyside town’s Victoria Park.
The boy was in an inflatable zorb ball on a pool of water when it was carried high into the air by a freak gust of wind at around 2pm today.
One witness told the Liverpool Echo: ‘It was quite breezy then all of the sudden there was a gust of wind.
‘It (the inflatable ball) went over the trees and we thought it was a balloon at first before we realised it was one of the inflatables with a child inside and it landed right over there.’
The child is understood to have been taken to hospital by an air ambulance with injuries that are serious but not life-threatening.
He had initially been treated by first aiders based on the site after the inflatable reportedly burst upon landing.
Police confirmed to Metro that a nine-year-old boy had sustained injuries following an incident at the park.
A spokesperson for Sefton Council said: ‘We can confirm that an Air Ambulance was called to Victoria Park, Southport this afternoon following an accident within the grounds.
‘First aid responders from St Johns Ambulance reacted quickly to provide assistance to the person involved prior to the arrival of other emergency services.
‘Following the incident a full health and safety inspection has been undertaken at the Southport Food & Drink Festival and the event remains open to the public.
‘Our thoughts are with those involved in the accident and we wish them a full recovery.’
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