NHS warns over rise in firework injuries as admissions reach 161
NHS leaders warn people to be careful with fireworks after firework-related hospital admissions in England rose to 161 last year, about a third more than 120 in 2024.
How it was covered
- ITV carried 87% of the airtime and concentrated on a teenager's eye loss and safety advice alongside the rise in firework injuries.
- Channel 5 concentrated on the admission numbers and basic safety advice, without a personal case study.
- BBC News, BBC One, Channel 4, GB News and Sky News: not found in tracked broadcasts.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story. Facts only one channel reported are attributed to it.
NHS leaders have warned people to be careful with fireworks after hospital admissions for firework-related injuries and burns increased. Both ITV and Channel 5 reported 161 admissions last year, up from 120 in 2024. Channel 5 said the figure covered England. ITV said the increase was about a third.
ITV reported that the warning comes as Bonfire Night and Diwali are celebrated over the coming weeks. It led its coverage with Alex, a teenager who lost an eye after he returned to a firework that had not gone off and it exploded. He told ITV News: 'I didn't think anything would happen that day' and 'I just wouldn't want it to happen to anyone else.' A surgeon who operated on Alex told the channel that an injury can occur within seconds and have an impact for the rest of a person's life. The surgeon said some patients have lost both eyes.
People are advised to attend professionally organised displays and to buy fireworks only from reputable retailers. ITV reported that the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents also urges people to follow the firework code. That includes using one firework at a time and not returning to lit fireworks. ITV reported that fire services across the UK have previously shared footage of private displays going wrong, and that many have again urged caution this year.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Reported by all 2 channels | ||
| Firework-related hospital admissions rose to 161 last year from 120 the previous year. | ||
| NHS leaders issued a safety warning about fireworks after a rise in hospital admissions for burns and injuries. | Reported by ITV | |
| People were advised to buy fireworks only from reputable retailers. | Reported by ITV | |
| Only on one channel | ||
| A teenager named Alex lost an eye in a firework accident after returning to a firework that had not gone off. | Not reported by Channel 5 | |
| The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents urged people to follow the firework code, including using one firework at a time and not returning to lit fireworks. | Not reported by Channel 5 | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV1 built its report around the human cost of fireworks. It led with Alex, a teenager who lost an eye, and included an interview with his surgeon before setting out the national admissions figures and safety advice. The tone was cautionary and emotive, with practical guidance from RoSPA and a warning from fire services.
- “The number of people getting hurt is rising and it's easier to injure yourself than you might think.”
- “An injury can occur essentially within seconds and that injury can have an impact for the rest of your life.”
- “I just wouldn't want it to happen to anyone else.”
Channel 5's item was a short, straight news summary within a mixed bulletin. It focused on the NHS warning, the 161 admissions in England and basic safety advice, with no case study or surgeon interview. The firework segment was brief and sat between unrelated stories about Channel crossings and a long-distance walker.
- “NHS leaders are warning people to be careful with fireworks as more people end up in hospital with burns and injuries.”
- “People are being advised to go to professionally organised displays or to buy fireworks only from reputable retailers.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.