A TEENAGER’S mother has warned of the dangers of fireworks after an unlit one exploded in his hand.

Josh Bruce suffered serious injuries to his left hand after he picked up a wet firework at his home in Stockton on Wednesday morning.

The 16-year-old college student needed three hours of surgery for burns.

His mother, Fiona Hinchley, fears he may never regain full use of his hand.

She said: “He has told me it was like a grenade going off in his hand. Josh does not know what happened, he picked it up and it just went off. He said it was not lit, but it was wet.

“It was so horrendous when I got to the hospital. They had given him morphine but he was still in agony. It was awful. No parent should have to go through that.”

Josh is still receiving treatment at University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton.

Miss Hinchley said: “Fireworks are so dangerous and Josh wants to get the message across to people not to play with them.

“We want them banned. They should not be sold in shops. Josh is a sensible lad, he wasn’t messing around. It shows it can happen to anyone.

“He is still in pain now and he has a long recovery ahead of him.

I do not think he will ever get the full use of his thumb back.”

A police spokesman said: “Fireworks are explosives and burn at high temperatures, so they need careful handling and storage; they are not toys to play with.

“They should not be lit by young people, adults should light them at arm’s length with a taper and stand well back once lit.”

Tyne and Wear Fire Brigade is also issuing a warning about fireworks.

Spokesman Tony Markwell also said attacks on firefighters would not be tolerated, and added: “This is not harmless fun.

“Not only are they putting the lives of our staff at risk, but they are also putting other people’s lives at risk by stopping us from doing our job.”

■ See The Northern Echo on Wednesday for a full guide to the region’s bonfire and fireworks displays.