Firework accident victim Tyler is a lionheart battler

For Tyler Norris-Sayers was born 10 weeks premature and went on to live through two major earthquakes in New Zealand, his home for the first few years of his life.

His mum Nicola Sayers said: “There were two earthquakes while we lived in New Zealand and we lost our home. We also had to live through dreadful aftershocks so Tyler has been through some real trauma in his short life.

“He is always so brave and calm and just accepts what happens and gets on with things.”

Tyler (10) is recovering back at his home in Sycamore Avenue, Burnley, after the accident at Rosegrove’s Railway Club when a firework flew into the crowd of spectators and hit him in the right eye at an organised display on Friday, November 4th.

He has undergone an operation to place a special membrane over his eye made of amniotic fluid. This will protect his eye by keeping it moist, allowing the damaged stem cells underneath to re-grow.

Nicola, who came back home to England in 2013, said: “They need to treat the burns damage to Tyler’s eye before they can assess how badly his sight has been affected.

“It is a slow process so we just have to wait now to see how it heals. He is having regular drops and medication and he is sleeping a lot.”

The family home is filled with cards and presents from well wishers and Nicola and her partner, Chris Evans, have been overwhelmed by the hundreds of messages of love and support they have received on social media.

Nicola said: “I am so grateful to my family and friends who have been so supportive and there for us every step of the way.

“But I would also like to thank the hundreds of people we don’t even know who have sent some wonderful messages.

“There is a real community spirit in Burnley that is rarely found anywhere else and the friends I have here are there for me whenever I need them.”

Pals from Whittlefield Primary School, where Tyler is a pupil, have called regularly to see how he is doing along with nurse Billie Jolly, who cared for Tyler on the night of the accident as she was at the display.

Nicola said: “She was fantastic with us. I just went to pieces but she knew exactly what to do and was so calm and reassuring.

“It was wonderful to see her again and I just gave her a big hug.”

Nicola also paid tribute to the medics at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, the Royal Blackburn Infirmary and Burnley General Hospital, where Tyler has been treated. She also thanked the paramedics who rushed him to hospital after the accident and returned to see him after their shift ended.