The Health and Safety Executive is investigating after a boy was seriously injured in an inflatable zorb ball.
The nine-year-old was inside the inflatable when it was swept into the air by a gust of wind before landing on grass at Southport Food and Drink Festival on Sunday. He was airlifted to hospital from Victoria Park with multiple serious injuries.
Sefton Council, who organised the event, said a full health and safety inspection had been undertaken following the incident. Now, Merseyside Police has confirmed the incident has been passed on to the Health and Safety Executive, a government agency responsible for the regulation and enforcement of workplace health and safety.
A spokesperson for HSE said: “We are investigating an incident in Southport on Sunday June 4 in which a nine-year-old-boy was seriously injured. We’ll provide further updates when appropriate.”
Police today confirmed the boy remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital. The company behind the zorb ball attraction said they wish the boy a “rapid recovery” and they’re currently assisting with multi-agency investigations over this “terrible freak incident.”
Witnesses at the Southport Food and Drink Festival said it was a “freak weather phenomena” which saw the boy catapulted 20ft in the air.
A video appears to show a whirlwind outside Victoria Park, with many people commenting to say the weather phenomenon was a ‘dust devil’; a strong, well-formed and relatively short-lived whirlwind. They often form as a swirling updraft under sunny conditions during fair weather.
Merseyside Police confirmed that they are aware of the footage, and it will form part of their investigation.
Source: Liverpool Echo
