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Firework hits baby at Billericay display

2:20pm Monday 3rd November 2008


A YOUNG mum says her baby was hit by a firework at a charity display.

Chanelle Conway, 18, of Goldington Crescent, Billericay, says it hit 10-month-old daughter Chanaiya in the arm during the Billericay Round Table display at Lake Meadows on Saturday. The baby was not hurt.

She said: “We were near the front and my mum saw it coming straight towards us, very fast, from the display area. It hit my baby in the arm. Luckily, she had a padded coat on and wasn’t hurt.”

Chanelle picked up the remains of firework, which she said was a cardboard tube the size of a tin can with a metal screw in the end.

She said: “We took it to the Round Table people to complain and they said they would have to speak to the manufacturer. I wanted to keep it as evidence, but they took it away.”

Richard Leahy, who co-ordinated the display, confirmed a complaint had been made and Basildon Council environmental health team notified. He said: “Environmental health will be launching an investigation.”


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Your Say YourEcho

LocalBoy, Hawkwell says...
3:07pm Mon 3 Nov 08

If it wasn't for the fact that National Express has handed over control of Station Car Parks to NCP something really novel could happen.

People could park for free at their local station and jump on a train. Proper park and ride!

Far too radical an idea I know.

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Sand-Dancer, Abu Dhabi says...
3:44pm Mon 3 Nov 08

Who in their right minds takes a 10 month old baby to a firework display?

Glad to hear the child is OK, but why blame someone or something else for her (the mother)own stupidity.

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Po_Wickford, Wickford says...
4:35pm Mon 3 Nov 08

I'm sorry but what does the age matter be it 10 months or 10 years the poor girl and her baby should have been safe i don't recall any thing that says children under any age should not be taken all 3 of my children loved fireworks so give the girl a break it was not her fault.

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25JAS, Southend says...
4:56pm Mon 3 Nov 08

Sounds a bit fishy to me. Maybe that im just a cynic. Either way if it did indeed happen the way its been reported im very glad to hear that the Baby is alright.

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Beth the original one, Hawkwell says...
5:00pm Mon 3 Nov 08

This sort of sensationalism annoys me. The mother has complained to the organisers and the organisers have acknowledged the receipt of a complaint, why then blacken their name by going straight to the newspapers before a resolution could be reached. If a reasonable resolution couldnt be reached then yes plaster it all over the news, but give the organisers a chance.

I am very glad the baby wasnt hurt and it does appear to be a freak accident, which with the best will in the world cannot be forseen by anyone. Public displays are far safer, more enjoyable and better value for money than any mini display in ones back garden can ever hope to achieve.

To be honest i will be very glad when the idiot who lives behind me has spent all his dole money on fireworks and stops letting them off every night, its a complete nightmare and i am sick to death of them way before any display officially starts.

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VictoriaLS, Westcliff on Sea says...
5:10pm Mon 3 Nov 08

Glad to hear the little girl is ok - like someone else said it is a shame that they had to go to the paper to sensationalise it all - especially as the Round Table are dealing with the complaint.

Also I don't see the problem at all in taking a 10 month old to a firework display - I shall be taking my 12 month old on Wednesday - though obviously if he isn't enjoying it then we will leave.

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IPM, Basildon says...
6:08pm Mon 3 Nov 08

I have to say I was at the firework display on Saturday and I goto say a piece of firework come down and hit me on the head. I thought that I might have been imagining it but it seems not. These fireworks seemed to close to the public as they were display but pieces still seemed to fall upon the crowd and nothing seemed to phase the organisers.

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Bob Smith, billericay says...
7:02pm Mon 3 Nov 08

Dear IPM Basildon. I was at the same display and you are talking total rubbish. If you used your eyes there is a large lake between the display and viewing area of approx 150-200 yards clearance. How can that be to close to the public.

This event has been in the calander of Billericay for many years and with hope of many more years to follow. I will be there next year again as it is the best display in Essex. Very fishy story if you ask me.

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Beth the original one, Hawkwell says...
9:18pm Mon 3 Nov 08

i must admit the billericay display is my ultimate favourite, we used to go every year when the kids were young. I remember one year they had them going off to war of the worlds, it was fantastic. Also, whilst it was distressing for local wildlife, it was funny when they set off the fireworks on the backdrop of the lakes and a duck was seen swimming frantically away from the scene.

I just feel that for the sake of a bit of sensationalism and "get my name in the papers" it has been blown out of all context. Nowhere in the report did it say that the organisers had failed to take the complaint seriously, in fact they have and are doing so. I still cant understand why she felt she had to go to the papers. Did she feel she had been let down, did she feel that she hadnt been taken seriously, does she feel the need to make the round table look like amateurs. They are far from amateurs and have been organising this affair for years.

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IPM, Basildon says...
7:03am Tue 4 Nov 08

I am not saying that the display was not great as it was but surely debris from fireworks and fireworks themselves should not be coming into the public. I have to say other displays I have been to have been further back and I have got to say I am quite shocked at how close it all was. But never the less it was an excellent display but all I am saying is that you really shouldnt be shouting someone down that could possibly have a genuine point as everyone is valid to an opinion and if it was a child / family member with your group or indeed of your own I am sure this would be a completely different story. I do agree that maybe this story shouldn't have gone ahead until the charity had responded to the person in question. But please do not state that people are talking absolute rubbish when there is witnesses to things that occurr. I was there with someone who had been going for 7+ years and they could not believe the amount of debris / fireworks coming out of the sky and the said and I quote "This isn't as good as other years and there has never been any debris / fireworks falling onto the crowd before"

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perini12, Leigh on Sea says...
12:38pm Tue 4 Nov 08

Fact: The child was not hit at all. It was the Grand=father that got hit - not that that makes it right but it takes the hysteria of 'kids injured at firework display' out of it.
Makes you wonder then why she ever complained in the first place?

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Soozie, Southend on sea says...
9:03am Wed 5 Nov 08

She said " I wanted to keep it as evidence, but they took it away.”

Why keep it? Was she going to sue?
A young mum of 18, hmmm makes you wonder what her objective is/was.

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IPM, Basildon says...
6:39pm Wed 5 Nov 08

indeed actually if she did keep it it does make you wonder why I had something fall down and hit me on the head a firework I presume but I have not complained / kept the remains as it is a simple natural effect now looking back on the night in question and if the person is now saying grandfather the story is contradictory.

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anon_billericay, Billericay says...
8:40pm Wed 5 Nov 08

It's a sad day and unfortunately a reflection of the times we now live in, to read this story. An 18-year-old mother, who clearly has so much growing up to do herself, at the front of a crowd watching the largest fireworks display in Essex - does this not immediately suggest she should have given the situation more thought. What goes up must come down and that's exactly what has happened. It was not a "stray rocket", it was merely debris from a fireworks display that was being fired from a completely safe distance.
I hope this child is ashamed of her attention seeking actions and get's proved completely wrong by the organisers who, for all their massive efforts, are there to raise money for charity.
Keep up the good work, Round Tablers.

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Jaybe, Billericay says...
7:47pm Fri 7 Nov 08

Firstly, Im glad the baby was not hurt but this is a charity event organised every year by the Round Table and I hope that the mother was not planning to sue them for damages as this would put future displays in jeopardy. I think they were very wise to take the 'evidence' away as they were quick to realise that compensation money could be a possibility.

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