COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

There had been reports of an explosion but it turned out that was far from the truth...



Armed police were called out to Hillfields tonight after there were reports of an explosion.

Officers were sent to Lower Ford Street after being called about the explosion at around 5.40pm tonight (Friday, October 5).

They cordoned off the street and blocked the road with a police van.

But the loud bang turned out to be a firework.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "Police were called to Lower Ford Street in Coventry at around 5.40pm today (5 October) to reports of an explosion which had damaged a car.

"Officers quickly established that the noise had come from a firework being let off."

Man claims he was almost hit by firework with BOLT attached



A resident says he was just "feet away" from being hit in the head by a "modified firework" which had a bolt and battery attached to it.

Armed police swarmed on Hillfields on Friday night (October 5) to reports of an explosion which had damaged a car.

But officers quickly discovered the noise had come from a firework.

Now the resident who called police has revealed the firework was "modified" with a "bolt and a battery strapped to it".

He was working on his car in Lower Ford Street as the firework hit.

The photographs of his damaged car show a bolt he says was from the firework.

The resident told CoventryLive : "The firework had been modified and had a bolt and a battery strapped to it.

"A group of lads set the modified firework off on the drive next door and because the extra weight added to it didn't take off properly and came over and hit my car, leaving a dent in the bonnet.

"I was working on the car at the time of the incident, hence the call made to the police.

"Luckily I didn't get [hit] by it, but it left my ears ringing, due to it being only feet away from my head."