A young boy has been injured after being flung into the air inside an inflatable ball. An air ambulance rushed the youngster to hospital after he was thrown into the air in the inflatable zorb ball in front of horrified onlookers.
The freak accident was reportedly caused by an unusually strong gust of wind which blew the ball away at a busy festival on Sunday.
Joanne Murray, who is at Victoria Park in Southport, Merseyside, where the festival is being held, said: "I can’t believe I’ve just witnessed that, I witnessed it with my own eyes, there was a kid in that ball."
A cordon was erected after the accident. The boy's injuries are serious but non life-threatening, Merseyside police said, who also confirmed the incident was ongoing.
Another 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."
A third said: "There was a gust of wind, the inflatable zorb took off from the water pool with the boy inside. The zorb then landed on a wheelie bin, the zorb popped on impact, leaving the boy on the ground."
A mother of two who witnessed the freak accident said: “The wind picked him up from the water and carried him quite a bit away to a tree and he landed on the pavement. "It wasn’t even that windy so it must’ve been a freak gust of wind.
"We used the zorb balls about 20 minutes earlier and there was no problem, I think wind was calmer. I hope the little child is ok."
Footage and images show the park bustling with visitors as emergency services work to help the child with first aid.
A spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: "We can confirm we are currently in attendance in Southport following reports that a child had been seriously injured.
"At around 2pm, it was reported that a nine-year-old boy had sustained injuries at an outdoor festival in Victoria Park, on Rotten Row.
"We can confirm that an Air Ambulance was called to Victoria Park, Southport this afternoon, Sunday, June 4, following an accident within the grounds," a spokesperson for Sefton Council said.
"First aid responders from St Johns Ambulance reacted quickly to provide assistance to the person involved prior to the arrival of other emergency services.
"He has been taken to hospital by air ambulance for treatment to his injuries, which are not life threatening.
"Emergency services remain at the scene while the circumstances of this incident are established."
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