Yacht club fined for teenager's accident (From Penarth Times)

Yacht club fined for teenager's accident

PENARTH Yacht Club has been fined 2,500 after a 12-year-old boy suffered serious burns from falling into the remains of a Guy Fawkes Night bonfire.

The club, which is based at the town's Esplanade, admitted failing to ensure the safety of the public at their November 5 celebrations last year. It was also ordered to pay the Vale of Glamorgan Council prosecution costs of 1,095.51.

Prosecuting for the Vale Council, Richard Price said the authority's Environmental Health Department carried out an investigation after receiving a complaint that a 12-year-old local boy, who was with a group of friends, had been injured after falling into a beach bonfire which had been left unattended at the end of a display.

The boy sustained burns to his hands and right arm.

He was taken to a local accident and emergency unit straight after the incident but required specialist treatment at Morriston Hospital, Swansea on a number of occasions.

The court heard that the club's plan, as it had been in the past, was to allow the incoming tide to extinguish the fire.

A spokeswoman for the Environmental Health Department said advice and information on bonfires and fireworks was freely available. The advice states that, following a party, organisers should "pour water on the fire rather than leave it to burn out."

The spokeswoman added: "Unfortunately, even with the sea close by, the club made no effort to extinguish this fire and left it burning on a public beach."