Police hunt man after flare hits 12-year-old football fan’s wheelchair

Police are trying to track down a man who launched a flare that struck a 12-year-old fan’s wheelchair at a football match. 

The pyrotechnic was thrown from the away section of the Stadium of Light towards the lower north stand during Sunderland’s home clash with Birmingham City earlier this year.

It landed between the wheels of the young fan’s chair, Northumbria Police said.

After the missile had been hurled, the victim suffered smoke inhalation and was left shaken, but no other injuries were reported.

Officers investigating the assault have studied CCTV footage from the stadium on the day of the game.

They have now released an image of a man they want to trace in connection with the incident between 3pm and 5pm on April 15.

He was in the area at the time, police say.

Northumbria Police tweeted: ‘The man, or anyone who recognises him, is asked to contact police via the Tell Us Something page of the Northumbria Police website or by calling 101 quoting crime number 048528J/23.’

Sunderland won the game 2-1.

Earlier this year, four men were arrested for driving a hearse and Subaru onto the pitch before doing donuts at a pre-season friendly in Gateshead.

In 2022, a female fan became the first woman to be banned from all stadiums in the UK after throwing a flare onto the pitch.

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