Boy, nine, rushed to hospital after huge gust of wind flings inflatable ball into the air with him trapped inside
A SCHOOLBOY who was playing inside an inflatable ball was rushed to hospital after a gust of wind is said to have lifted it into the air.
Witness said the boy, aged 9, was sat inside an inflatable ball when a gust of wind threw it across the park in Southport, Merseyside.
The air ambulance landed in the town’s Victoria Park and took the boy to hospital after the incident which happened around 2pm today. The boy’s injuries are serious but non life-threatening, police said.
The freak accident happened as hundreds of people thronged to the popular park for the town’s food and drink festival.
Photographs showed emergency workers arriving at the scene to treat the boy’s injuries as families looked on.
Joanne Murray said to the Liverpool Echo: “I can’t believe I’ve just witnessed that, I witnessed it with my own eyes, there was a kid in that ball.”
Another witness said: “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 visitor 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 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.
“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.”
“We can confirm that an Air Ambulance was called to Victoria Park, Southport this afternoon (Sunday June 4th) 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.