A GRANDMOTHER has said things could have been “so much worse” after a wayward firework struck her seven-year-old grandson at a pub Bonfire Night display.

Lucas Wilson attended the event at the Marlbank Inn, Welland, last Saturday when a rocket shot into the crowd and up his coat sleeve.

Grandma Lisa Clay said another firework later fired into the trees and has called “for greater measures to prevent this happening again”.

Lucas and his brother Daniel Clay, 10, were “behind the barrier tape” with grandparents Mrs Clay, 52, and her husband Ian Clay, 52, she claimed.

“The firework hit his hand and went up the sleeve of his coat and he had burn marks up his coat and hood, and his sweatshirt.

“His hand was severely bruised from where the firework hit him.

“If it had gone up the sleeve of his sweatshirt, it could’ve been so much worse.”

She said Lucas was “very shocked” and “crying his heart out” as they waited 20 minutes to be treated by an on-site medic.

“I’m a trained first-aider and we didn’t know what had happened at first, if his hand was burnt,” explained Mrs Clay.

“I told my husband to take Lucas to the pub’s toilets to run his hand under cold water but they’ve only got hot water taps.”

She said she couldn’t help thinking the burn hole in his coat “could have been his eye” if it had come at a different angle.

“The whole crowd was in shock afterwards, you could hear them.”

She claimed she was told the medics had arrived to the event late and there was “nobody in fluorescent jackets visible” – but there were ice water stations.

After watching a firework strike nearby trees, following the incident with Lucas, Mrs Clay said Daniel said: “I don’t want to be here anymore, can we leave?”

A pub spokesman has said the Marlbank is “distraught” by the incident but is adamant all safety procedures were carried out before and after the “freak accident”.

Estimating that there were 750 to 800 people in attendance, he said the pub is now investigating the cause to ensure “it will never happen again”.

“The spectators were stood triple the required distance from the display,” he continued. “Our main concern was the safety of those in attendance.”

He explained the pub had liaised with emergency services prior to the event and first aiders were on-site.

The current owners have only recently taken over the pub, he said, and used the same fireworks supplier used for the annual display as in previous years.

“The event was led by the locals, who pushed us to get it on,” he said.

“We have apologised to the family and will continue to build our relationship with the local community,” he added.

Following the incident, Lucas and his family were invited for a free Sunday lunch at the pub, while his jumper and coat were also replaced at a cost of around £70.