'We were lucky no one was hurt': Firework from garden display smashes rear window of Mini Cooper in Portchester

A FIREWORK display in a Portchester garden has left a support worker fuming as a falling rocket smashed the rear window of her parked car.
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Hanna Doswell, who supports people with learning disabilities across Havant, was at her home in Kilmiston Drive when her neighbours began their ‘terrifying’ back-garden display at 6pm on Sunday.

She said: ‘They started to do the fireworks and next thing we knew my partner's brother turned up and said, ‘your back window is smashed.’

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The support worker went to her Mini Cooper parked at the front of the house to discover a hole in her rear window.

The firework after hitting the Mini.The firework after hitting the Mini.
The firework after hitting the Mini.

The 19-year-old said: ‘There was a big, thin stick next to the car.

‘It had a piece of plastic that looked like firework casing attached to it – you can tell it was a big firework.

‘The fireworks they were letting off didn’t seem to be the sort you could get in a supermarket.’

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Her partner’s father Steve Doel, who works for Auto Glass, came out to repair the damage – costing £66 to purchase a new pane of glass.

The remains of the suspected firework that collided with the support worker's Mini Cooper.The remains of the suspected firework that collided with the support worker's Mini Cooper.
The remains of the suspected firework that collided with the support worker's Mini Cooper.

The repairman said had seen several incidents like it caused by falling fireworks, according to Hanna.

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Confronting the neighbours responsible for the display from their garden backing on to her house, she said the three men did not seem ‘bothered’ that the firework had damaged her car.

She said: ‘They started to let off dozens and dozens of fireworks.

Hanna Doswell, 19, who has been left paying to repair her Mini Cooper.Hanna Doswell, 19, who has been left paying to repair her Mini Cooper.
Hanna Doswell, 19, who has been left paying to repair her Mini Cooper.

‘I thought something terrible was going to happen.

‘It was horrible.’

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Hanna is now concerned that a garden display could lead to someone being badly hurt.

She said: ‘If that had hit someone it could have done serious damage.

The smashed Mini Cooper, parked in Weyhill Close.The smashed Mini Cooper, parked in Weyhill Close.
The smashed Mini Cooper, parked in Weyhill Close.

‘We were lucky that no one got hurt.’

Figures from NHS Digital have revealed there were close to 2,000 A&E visits linked to fireworks from 2018 to 2019.

A police spokeswoman said: ‘It has been reported that fireworks were being set off in the area at the same time and remains of a rocket and ash were found inside the car.

‘The matter is under investigation. Anyone with information should call police on 101 quoting 44190394627.’

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