Mum of schoolboy, who may lose his sight after horror firework accident, speaks of his bravery.

Tyler Norris-Sayers (10) is recovering in the burns unit of the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and his mum, Nicola Sayers, has kept a constant bedside vigil since the horror accident. His right eye was badly burned and doctors have said they do not know yet if his sight will be affected.

Speaking from the ward, Nicola said: “Tyler has been very brave indeed and we have kept his spirits up. He knows what has happened to him and we have told him everything the doctors have said.”

Tyler was rushed to Blackburn Royal Infirmary after the accident at the Railway Club in Burnley’s Rosegrove. Crowds had gathered to watch the organised display when one of the fireworks fell over and exploded into the crowd. striking Tyler full on in the face.

Nicola said: “We were stood next to each other behind the safety barrier and all of a sudden the firework seemed to explode. It knocked Tyler to the ground and I could see just him on fire, it was awful.”

Nurse Billie Jolly, who was at the event, rushed forward to help and took Tyler into the clubhouse and rallied staff for cold compresses to place on his injuries.

Nicola (38) of Sycamore Avenue, Burnley, said: “Billie was fantastic, she knew just what to do and she was so reassuring to me and Tyler, talking to us both to keep us calm.”Tyler was later transferred to Manchester where specialists cleared debris from his eye to determine the extent of the damage. As it was so swollen, they could not examine it properly so a special membrane has been placed over it to allow healing to take place and for the stem cell that has been damaged to grow back.

Nicola added: “Tyler’s tear ducts have been damaged too so there isn’t enough moisture in his eye to help it repair.

“He can see light and shapes but everything is very blurry at the moment.”

A pupil at Whittlefield Primary School, Tyler lives with his mum and her partner, Chris Evans who runs his own business A2z Canopies in Burnley.

Nicola said she had been overwhelmed by the love and support the family have received since the accident, from caring NHS staff to the hundreds of people who have sent messages on social media.

She said: “i want to thank everyone because it has means a lot to us and has kept us going knowing how much people care.”

Nicola also said she did not blame anyone for what she described as a “freak accident.”

She said: “I do not blame the club in any way.”

A woman aged 60 and an eight-year-old girl were also injured in the accident. Burnley CID launched an investigation into the incident but they have now referred it to Lancashire County Council, Health and Safety Executive and Trading Standards.