‘A firework exploded in my face’

He had challenged two neighbouring dads to see who could hold the biggest display in October 2007.

As the last guests left, he returned to a massive multiple firework, saved for the finale, which had not fully exploded.

“I got a bit cocky and disturbed the packaging to see if I could pull out the fuse,” says Andy, a scaffolder from Worthing in West Sussex.

As he bent down, two of the rockets shot up, hitting him in the nose and ear, and badly burning his neck.

Aware that the remaining rockets were ready to ignite in sequence, Andy quickly swerved to the side and felt the force of each one blasting off just inches from him.

“It happened instantly,” he says. “I saw sparks and then they exploded in my face. It felt as though I had run into a brick wall. I didn’t want to open my eyes, in case I lost my sight.

“Waiting for the ambulance to arrive seemed like an eternity, and the only thing in my mind was that I had lost half my face and that I was blinded for life.”

Andy’s lip was split in half and chunks of skin were taken from his cheek, nose and ear. His face was peppered with gunpowder.

He had stitches and a medical facial scrub to remove several layers of his skin to promote the regrowth of healthy tissue.

He had to have his dressings changed every couple of days for three months, and could barely open his jaw for weeks.

‘My carelessness with explosives’

Andy says his injuries were the result of carelessness and irresponsible competition between neighbours.

“Over the last few years, fireworks night had become a competition between me and two neighbours,” he says.

“The fireworks we bought had become bigger and better, and we would watch each other’s displays from our back gardens.

“Really, you need a 300ft garden to let these sorts of fireworks off, because they are so powerful.”

Andy, who was treated at East Grinstead Special Burns Unit, is fortunate enough to have almost no scars.

He says: “I had to wait six weeks before I could see how badly injured my face was. The bandages were taken off in a private room. To be honest, I was relieved. Doctors had warned me it could have been a lot worse, so I think I got off lightly.

“For ages after the accident, I didn’t want anyone to see me. I don’t know why – maybe it was the embarrassment of what had happened. I took a very long time to get over it.”

He says he shouldn’t have returned to the firework, or bought such a powerful one. “I regret going back to it and being silly,” he says. “I have flashbacks all the time.

“I was worried the accident would affect my seven-year-old son Tobi, but luckily he was in the front room when it happened and didn’t see anything.”