A toddler was rushed to hospital after a firework landed in his pram.
The horrific incident was one of 441 calls received by the fire service last night and into the early hours of this morning. Of those, 180 related specifically to bonfires or firework incidents.
There were a total of 11 firework-related injuries.
The boy of two was at a private Bonfire Night party when the rocket-type firework 'went wild' after being let off in the back garden.
A shocked witness is believed to have thrown a cup of tea into the pram to douse the smouldering rocket.
An ambulance service spokesman said the toddler, who has not been named, was taken to hospital with an eye injury.
His condition was not thought to be life-threatening.
Fire fighters were called by paramedics to the house on Castle Street, The Haulgh, Bolton, yesterday evening.
A police spokesman added: "We went to the hospital to check on the child's welfare. There was no criminal intent."
Elsewhere, two men were taken to hospital with burns after a bonfire on Delamere Road in Turf Hill, Rochdale; and a boy of 13 suffered burns to his hands after picking up a spent firework in Prestwich, near Bury.
A man was treated by paramedics after he was hit on the foot by a firework on Blackburn Road in Astley Bridge, Bolton.
A man suffered slight facial burns from a firework on Sancroft Road, Benchill. He was discharged from hospital later.
In Leigh, near Wigan, a 32-year-old man was taken to hospital with burns to his left eye, cheek and nose. The fire service said he returned to a firework which subsequently exploded on Conifer Walk.
The man was later transferred to the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital.
A man also suffered facial burns from a firework on Redgrave Street, Oldham.
The figures – from 5pm on November 5 to 6.30am today – represent a fall in calls to the fire service compared to the same period last Bonfire Night.
Fire fighters across Greater Manchester usually deal with an average of 175 calls over a 24-hour period.
A spokesman said there were also four reported attacks on fire fighters as they dealt with incidents.
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Hello....Why was the pram in the garden in the first place and not in doors???
I can't believe I'm actually going to say this, but for once I agree with the ban brigade. This shows how it's not just kids and idiots throwing fireworks that cause devastation. I don't suppose for one minute these people didn't think they were anything less than well organised, but you can't rule out manufacturer's faults and other unforeseen circumstances. The time has come to bring in a license for anyone wishing to put on a display, regardless of how big or small, no need to ban them altogether, just make sure the person lighting them has proved they're capable and responsible.
Were this the case then as Kit Kat Kid has already said, the pram wouldn't have been in the garden for a start.
Just ban the things, over the counter sales of explosives in this day and age is ridiculous.
Lot's of spare cash for fireworks eh?
Before people jump on the ban it brigade's band wagon, keep in mind that we do not have all the facts here. This incident could have been caused by a faulty firework, irresponsible use of fireworks, or could have simply been a freak accident.
When I was 18 me and some friends put on a fireworks display for another friend's birthday. We made sure the ground was solid enough to support firing rockets, we waited if a firework was taking longer than expected to go off and had a hose ready if necessary so we could douse it if we suspected it was a dud. Only myself and 2 other people were allowed to use the fireworks and none of us drank alcohol until the show was over. The night went fine, no one was injured and every enjoyed the show.
Not everyone is irresponsible with fireworks! Hope the child recovers soon.
Its absolutely mental that health and safety stops apple bobbin, stops office staff moving a desk, stops a teacher taking some kids to the park, amongst hundreds of other 'nanny state' examples of how we've gone bonkers; but anyone of a certain age can buy fireworks??
I hate fireworks, I always have. For several months a year, growing up in Salford, watching idiots throw them down the street, firing them out of piping, etc. And even supposedly sensible people setting them off too close to the house, seeing them go into bedroom windows. Watching students being terrorised by scallies with fireworks, firing them at them, sending them through peoples letter boxes etc, firing them at cats and dogs. The list is endless.
All these incidents, I have witnessed first hand, over a thirty year period; they aint just stories.
The legal age to purchase them is 18 isnt it?? The sensible type of 18 year olds wouldnt waste their money on fireworks. The idiots will and do. As I have seen over the years.
It has always baffled me. But more so with every year of the health and safety state that we seem to develop into. Can we really make that much money from taxing fireworks to warrant it remaining?? I really doubt it.
Regardless of the ''why's and how's'', lets just hope that the little kid is OK and not badly injured / scarred for life
Why do you always use the word RUSHED when a ambulance is involved.
When will they intoduce a ban. Fireworks are nothing more than fancy explosions.
why not just ban the public from buying and if you want to watch fire works go to organised so there fore they will be less hurt for kids and adults
find them and lock them up they already but there lives at risk they dont need stuiped grown up wish they were kids doing things like that
Someone please correct me if i'm wrong? Didn't Australia ban private firework displays for similar reasons?
I'm a Mancunian born woman who's been living in Australia since 1970 (40 years) and fireworks are NOT sold over the counter here. They are limited to those professional people who make a business out of putting on huge fireworks displays on special occasions such New Years Eve and Australia Day, but NOT Guy Fawkes! They attract large numbers of people who have picnice beside the rivers that flow through each city and others who are lucky enough to be able to view them from the skyscrapers, etc. And for those who can't get into the city, we can see the displays later on TV. Nobody needs to get hurt and the kids can have all the fun of the fireworks without any chance of being injured.
While I hope the child is OK, I couldn't help but laugh as an ex-pat Brit that the flame was doused by a cuppa tea!! Thanks for reminding me what it is to be English
a cup of tea!! that kid was gettin burned one way or another!
To feel sorry for the kid is an understatement, also had a hot cup of tea thrown at him/her!
So, no matter how careful you are .....
Why is it people always seem to want to ban anything they don't like, but are then qucik to bemoan the "nanny state" or "elf and safety" when things do get banned.
Actually reading this story tells us that "There were a total of 11 firework-related injuries"
Eleven, all unfortunate no doubt, but not really that many. Is something resulting in eleven injuries really worth invoking the full force of legislation?
When will people understand that the Guy Fawkes night is in celebration of the fact that his plan was foiled - NOT a celebration of him trying to blow stuff up!!