The organisers of a firework display have assured event-goers that safety is their ‘first priority’ after a product malfunction saw a firework fire close to the crowd.

Disgruntled attendees took to Facebook in a post, which has since been deleted, to express their disappointment at the ‘close call’ after a firework was accidentally shot near to the barbecue area at the Crabtree Fireworks Spectacular in Harpenden. No-one was hurt during the incident.

But organisers of the event, the Crabtree Parents’ Association, explained the malfunction as a “rare occurrence” due to a fault with the firework itself, which burst at ground level rather than being shot into the air first.

They said: “We would like to reassure you that the safety of spectators is our first priority and we take a number of necessary precautions each year.”

These include keeping a fence between spectators and the display, health and safety assessments, training a minimum of 25 marshals, ensuring St John’s ambulance are in attendance, and appointing a professional firework company (Pyro1) to install and run the display.

The organisers added: “Even when all the necessary precautions have been taken, risk cannot be completely eliminated from events such as these.”

The Parents’ Association said they would continue doing everything they could to ensure the event was safe in the future.