Fireworks seized after boys burned in Motherwell

Hundreds of fireworks have been seized from a shed after two children were injured in separate incidents yesterday.

A 15-year-old boy was seriously hurt when a banger exploded in his hand in Motherwell at about 5:20pm.

He was taken by ambulance to Wishaw General Hospital, but was later transferred to Glasgow Royal Infirmary, where his condition was last night described as stable.

Police said his hand had been seriously injured.

A 12-year-old boy earlier suffered superficial burns to his hand after being scorched by the same type of firework.

Strathclyde Police said up to 1,000 bangers, which consist of a rolled up paper tube filled with gunpowder and a fuse at the top, were being stored in a shed behind houses in Blackmoore Place, New Stevenston, Lanarkshire.

The force is investigating whether the batch is defective, and warned members of the public, especially youngsters, to take extra care when handling any type of firework.

Inspector Gavin Russell, from Strathclyde Police, said: “It is very possible that they have been stolen from another premises and stored there, with or without the owners’ knowledge.”