A WORCESTER boy who faces losing his eye after an horrific firework accident is to have pioneering surgery tomorrow to try and save it.

Tom Munn will undergo the ground-breaking operation by world-renowned eye expert Professor Harminder Dua at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham.

The 12-year-old was seriously injured after a firework exploded near his face while he was with his 20-year-old brother and a friend, who were also both hurt.

Tom was told by doctors at Birmingham Eye Hospital that he could lose his eye, but has been given a glimmer of hope by the operation.

Doctors now hope his eye will be saved so he has the opportunity to have more surgery in the future, which may restore his sight.

"Tom is a young lad and having two eyes which function together has to be a plus," said his father, Graham.

"We're hoping any scarring he has will be minimal, so he can lead as normal life as possible. It's great news, and we've nothing but praise for the staff at all the hospitals he's stayed in."

The accident happened on the cricket pitch off Evendine Close, Battenhall, Worcester, on Monday, October 22.

The boys had been following instructions while lighting fireworks, but one did not ignite properly. They went back to check it and it exploded in their faces.

This is the first time Tom's operation has been carried out in the UK.

"It's immensely complicated," said Nick Kehoe, a reporter at Central TV in Nottingham, who is following Tom's progress.

"Prof Dua carried out a fairly standard cornea graft a couple of weeks ago but had a 'few bits' left over. He's taken these and put them on to a membrane growing stem cells from an umbilical cord.

"They've replicated and he hopes this will heal the damaged eye. This is the only real chance he has of saving Tom's eye.

"The transplant cells will form the basis from which he can do a cornea transplant in a few months.

"He's confident this will work and he'll be able to save the eye, but it will be six months before they know if they can."

Tom's case is being featured in a series of progress reports on Central News East from tomorrow night.