Man is injured as yobs launch firework from a passing car
AMAN having a cigarette outside a social club was injured when yobs launched a firework at him from a passing car.
The man, in his 60s, suffered a burn to his leg following the attack outside Cronkeyshaw Social Club in Rochdale.
It’s believed a group of four young men in a white car pulled up outside the club and began talking to the victim.
But as he turned to go back inside they launched the rocket at him from an open car door.
Club secretary Flo Burgess said: “It was a real shock.
“He said they pulled up in a small white car and said ‘Alright mate.’
“Then as he went to go back in the club they opened the car door and fired it at him.
“It’s burnt through his trouser leg onto his skin.
“He’s got probably a 2ins burn on his leg. It’s only small but it looks deep.
“All the smoke from the firework went inside the club and they had to open all the windows to let it out.
“It’s frightening. He was frightened, everybody in the club was shook up.”
The incident took place sometime after 9.30pm on Thursday.
About five minutes earlier a firework was also launched at The Oxford pub on nearby Whitworth Road by a group matching the same description.
CCTV shows what appears to be a white Skoda slowly driving past the front of the pub, before a rocket is fired into the front door from a passenger window.
The firework then explodes and shoots back out of the pub and across the road.
Tom McNeeney, who runs the Oxford, said: “It’s a miracle no-one was hurt.
“Luckily whoever lobbed it can’t throw straight because it’s shot straight back out the door and over the road.
“There’s a big glass window in the porch. If it had gone off in there it would have shattered the glass and there were a fair few people eating in the pub.
“After it happened we Googled it and it seems to be a bit of a trend. It’s shocking really. Everyone likes a laugh but that’s properly, properly stupid
“You’ve got to be numb to think this is funny.”
Greater Manchester Police were contacted for a comment.