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 incident occurred during the Southport Food and Drink Festival in Merseyside, UK on Sunday afternoon, June 4. According to witnesses, a sudden gust of wind swept the inflatable sphere, carrying the child high above the trees before it landed nearby. Thankfully, onlookers rushed to his aid, and St John Ambulance staff provided emergency first aid.
Merseyside Police quickly responded, confirming that the boy’s injuries were not life-threatening. An air ambulance was called, and the child was transported to the hospital for treatment. One witness described how the Zorb ball was launched from a water pool, eventually landing on a wheeled rubbish bin, causing the ball to burst and leaving the boy on the ground.
Authorities promptly conducted a thorough health and safety inspection at the Southport venue in the aftermath of the incident.
The incident is reminiscent of a tragic event in 2016 when a seven-year-old girl lost her life after a bouncy castle she was in was blown away during an Easter fair in Harlow, Essex in the UK. Two fairground workers were later convicted of gross negligence manslaughter for failing to secure the bouncy castle adequately.
Zorbing, the activity involving rolling or rolling in these inflatable balls, often on giant paddling pools, also has its risks. In 2013, a man died after a zorb ball veered off course on an unfenced snow slope at a Russian ski resort, eventually stopping on a frozen lake.
Despite the unfortunate occurrence, the Southport Food and Drink Festival remained open to the public following the incident. Authorities are now working to determine the circumstances of the episode to prevent similar incidents in the future.
