Footage by Suzanne Patrick

BLANDFORD'S Christmas festival ended in screams and chaos last night as rockets flew off into the packed crowd during the fireworks display.

Police were called to the Yuletide Festival in the town centre around 9pm last night after a box of fireworks went off without warning during the public display.

Most went straight into a wall but five or six flew into a crowd of spectators.

One woman, commenting on our Facebook page said her mum had her hair burnt off while a child got hit in the eye with a firework.

Suzanne Patrick who posted a video on her Facebook page said: "Still shaking from the bad fireworks display.

"Check out my video, it's shocking."

In the video people were heard to be shouting "Move, move, I'm scared."

It is believed that four people were injured with burns and eye injuries.

However a spokesperson for Dorset Police said there were no serious injuries.

A few people were treated at the scene for minor injuries, they added.

One person writing on a community website said: "This evening's Yuletide Festival nearly ended in disaster when the fireworks display went wrong, launching rockets into the crowd of onlookers.

"The display, which was being launched from the roof of the building started off small with murmurs of bemusement from the crowd as underwhelming fireworks failed to make it more than a few metres off the roof.

"Bemusement soon turned to fear however as the rockets began falling from the roof and bouncing off the market stalls below, before exploding just above the heads of the townspeople who had assembled to watch."

They added: "Thankfully the display was halted and police quickly moved the crowd away from the danger zone."

The relevant items were recovered for examination, and police in conjunction with the Health and Safety Executive and Dorset County Council's trading standards, are examining the evidence.

If you were at the festival last night and saw what happened or have pictures or video footage please contact the newsdesk:

Phone 01202 411293

Email newsdesk@bournemouthecho.co.uk

Text 80360, starting your message with BE