Hero football fan’s hand blasted off by firework as he stepped in to save kids

A firework blew up in a hero football fan’s right hand as he tried to move it away from children celebrating after a match.

Roofer Paul Markham, 50, underwent surgery after it blasted off his index and middle fingers and his thumb, the Sun reports.

He was among a few hundred fans celebrating outside Blackpool FC‘s stadium after a 1-0 victory secured their team a League One play-off spot on Sunday.

Police are investigating after he was seriously injured when he spotted a smoke bomb firework thrown into the air had landed near to some kids.

Paul went to move it but as he did it detonated, blowing off his index and middle fingers and his thumb on his right hand.

He was rushed to hospital and fellow fans later found his missing body parts and they were taken to Blackpool’s Victoria Hospital.

Paul was on Monday being operated on by plastic surgeons at Royal Preston Hospital, Lancashire, who hope to re-attach his fingers and assess the damage to his hand.

His pals have now launched a Just Giving page and have already raised more than £6,000 for him.

Friend Rastly Broxson told well-wishers Paul “picked a firework up to get it out of the way of his mate’s son, it went off in his hand. He’s a proper hero.

“He’s in a bad way and the next 24hours are a big deal as to how much of his hand can be saved.”

A pal told The Sun: “Paul’s a happy-go-lucky guy who was just outside the ground celebrating his team’s victory.

“There were lots of fans there and some of them let off smoke bombs. Paul saw one of them had landed near some children so he tried to grab it to get it away from them.

“But as he’s done so, it’s gone off like a bomb and blown his fingers and thumb off.

“They were found later on and someone took them to hospital. Now he’s having an operation but we don’t know the extent of his injuries.”

Others have been calling on cops to hunt down whoever was responsible.

Paul attended the celebrations with his best friend and his teenage son.

A Lancashire Police spokesman said: “Around 1.40pm yesterday a man suffered serious injuries to his hand and arm in Seasiders Way, Blackpool.

“It was reported the man had suffered the injury after trying to move a pyrotechnic device which had been thrown close to a child.

“The man, aged in his 50s, was treated by officers at the scene and later taken to Royal Preston Hospital for further treatment.

“An investigation into the circumstances around the injury is ongoing.

“If you have any information please contact police on 101 or email 819@lancashire.police.uk quoting log 0345 of May 9.”