Liverpool fans are being urged to party without pyro when the football club celebrates its Premier League victory with a bus parade next week.
Hundreds of thousands of supporters are expected to line the city’s streets on Monday when the parade takes place.
However, club bosses said celebrations when the Reds clinched their 20th league title last month resulted in 50 reports of burns suffered by those outside Anfield Stadium – including an injury to a three-year-old child.
Liverpool FC has joined forces with police, Liverpool City Council and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital – where several youngsters were treated last month for burns to their hands, face and scalp from flares – to ask fans to protect children from pyrotechnics and celebrate safely.
Nathan Askew, chief nurse at the hospital trust, said: “We know that Monday will be a fantastic day for all Liverpool fans, but over the past few years we have seen several children and young people who have needed hospital treatment after using pyrotechnics or flares.
“Pyrotechnics and flares can cause serious injuries to children, including severe burns, breathing problems and damage to lungs, ears and eyes.”
The last Liverpool FC victory parade – held in 2022 after the club won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup – resulted in 84 reports of injuries by St John’s Ambulance, many related to burns, and saw 12 people taken to hospital.
Director of public health at Liverpool City Council and lifelong Liverpool fan Matt Ashton said: “This parade is about celebration and joy — and bringing dangerous items like flares and smoke bombs only puts yourself and fellow fans at risk.”
Pyrotechnics often come with “safety distance” information, warning they should not be used in crowded spaces, and burn at high temperatures, as well as producing smoke which can exacerbate respiratory conditions and cause irritation to eyes.
But the phrase “no pyro, no party” is often used by football fans when describing celebrations.
Merseyside Police Chief Inspector Chris Barnes, who is silver commander for the parade, said there had been an increase in the use of pyrotechnics, including flares, smoke bombs and fireworks, both inside and outside football grounds.
He said: “While recognising that some supporters feel they can add to the atmosphere of the occasion, this is a real concern and we fully support the club and our partners in working to eradicate this dangerous and reckless practice and would ask that supporters work with us, not only at the victory parade but at the final LFC game of the season at Anfield on Sunday.
“It’s also worth remembering that the parade will have its own professionally organised special effects, including confetti canons and fireworks, which will be adding to the fantastic atmosphere on the day in a safe and controlled manner.”
The parade will start at 2.30pm on the bank holiday and travel a 15km route before driving along The Strand to finish.
Paul Cuttill, vice president of stadium operations for Liverpool FC, said: “All of us here at the club want a safe parade that everyone can enjoy and be able to see the joy on the faces of the fans as the victory bus makes its way across the city.
“Let’s make this a day to remember for everyone involved.”
Further discouragement for any fans planning to use pyrotechnics has come in the form of a viral social media post – which claimed an Everton fan had repackaged 10,000 blue flares with red packaging to sell to unsuspecting supporters.
