A man screamed "there's a boy in the sky" as he witnessed an inflatable "zorb" ball being catapulted 20ft in the air.
Paul Holmes rushed to help the boy after watching the freak accident unfold at Southport Food and Drink Festival in Victoria Park on Sunday. The 43-year-old from Southport, who had visited the festival with family, ripped the ball open to free the boy before running into a marquee to ask for help.
Paul told the ECHO: "We were just stood next to the zorb pit looking for something to eat. There was a breeze quite quick and I just said 'oh that breeze is nice'.
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"In my peripheral vision I saw two of the zorb balls go up into the sky and I just screamed at the top of my voice 'there's a kid in one of those balls someone catch him.' The minute I shouted 'there's a boy in the sky' the staff at the inflatable place were quick to get all of the kids out of the remaining balls in the pit.
"I don't know if the parents jumped in or just the staff but they were quick taking them out of the remaining balls. One of the zorb balls didn't go that high and landed.
"The main zorb of concern I would say was probably 15-20 metres in the sky easily. The wind just whipped it up into the sky. It was like a bit of a freak weather phenomena."
Paul said he was running around trying to work out where the ball was going to land in a bid to catch it, but he missed it due to a gust of wind. He said: "Me and another gentleman were just in a mad panic trying to rip open the zorb to try and get to the little boy.
Everyone wants to help naturally, I just screamed to everyone 'do not move this boy.'
Paul ran into the marquee and onto the stage where a singer was performing. He said: "I stopped them straight away and said someone shout for help we need urgent medical attention, there's been a major incident around the back."
North West Ambulance Service said an ambulance, senior clinician and an air ambulance were called to the scene at 1.56pm. The nine-year-old boy was airlifted to hospital with multiple serious injuries.
In an update today, Merseyside Police confirmed the boy remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition.
Paul said: "My thoughts go out to the parents of the little boy."
Paul said one of the staff members from the inflatable business was in tears following the incident. He added: "People seem to be forgetting the owner of the inflatable business - they must be going through absolute hell with this."
A spokesperson for Sefton Council said: “We can confirm that an Air Ambulance was called to Victoria Park, Southport this afternoon (Sunday, June 4) following an accident within the grounds.
“First aid responders from St Johns Ambulance reacted quickly to provide assistance to the person involved prior to the arrival of other emergency services.
“Following the incident a full health and safety inspection has been undertaken at the Southport Food and Drink Festival and the event remains open to the public.
“Our thoughts are with those involved in the accident and we wish them a full recovery.”
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