A family festival took a terrifying turn when a nine-year-old boy suffered serious injuries after being catapulted into the air inside a zorb ball.
The accident took place during the Southport Food and Drink Festival in Merseyside, UK on Sunday, June 4. As per eyewitness accounts, an unexpected wind gust lifted the inflatable ball, carrying the boy aloft above the trees before it came crashing down nearby. Fortunately, bystanders quickly rushed to the child’s assistance, and St John Ambulance personnel provided immediate first aid.
Merseyside Police arrived at the scene, confirming that the injuries sustained by the boy were not life-threatening. An air ambulance arrived, and the child was airlifted to a hospital. One observer noted how the Zorb ball, launched from a water pool, landed on a garbage bin, leading to the ball bursting and the boy falling to the ground.
In response to the incident, a comprehensive health and safety evaluation was carried out at the Southport venue.
This recent occurrence brings to mind a 2016 tragedy when a seven-year-old girl died after the bouncy castle she was playing in was swept away during an Easter fair in Harlow, Essex, UK. Two fairground employees were subsequently found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter due to inadequate securing of the bouncy castle.
The activity of zorbing, which involves rolling inside the balls, has inherent hazards. In 2013, a man was killed when a zorb ball strayed off a designated path on an unfenced snowy slope at a Russian ski resort, finally coming to rest on a frozen lake.
Despite the child’s unfortunate accident, the Southport Food and Drink Festival remained operational. Authorities are currently undertaking efforts to ascertain the exact circumstances surrounding the incident to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
