A teenager who lost his left eye in a firework accident is urging people to follow safety advice as Halloween, Bonfire Night and Diwali approach. Aleks Stasiukiewicz, 17, from Hartlepool, was injured in November 2024 and has joined University Hospitals Tees to raise awareness of the risks.

Aleks had attended an organised display at a local rugby club before joining friends at a nearby park. When a firework failed to go off as intended, he went over to relight it. It exploded instantly, knocking him to the ground.

Life-changing injuries

He was taken to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, where consultants confirmed he had lost his left eye and part of his eyelid. He also suffered minor burns to his arm and leg and a broken front tooth. Specialist surgeons removed fragments of firework residue from his eye socket and inserted a ball-shaped prosthesis to preserve movement.

Aleks said: “When people say don’t play with fireworks, listen. I know it can be tempting to break the rules and have a bit of fun but fireworks are incredibly dangerous. They are not something you should mess around with as they can cause serious, life-changing injuries.”

Hospital admissions rise

NHS England figures show 85 firework-related hospital admissions in England last November, up from 60 the year before. Across the whole of 2025, admissions reached 161, compared with 120 the previous year.

Eye consultant Gar-Yun Wong, who treated Aleks, said accidents can happen in an instant and can result in life-changing eye injuries or permanent sight loss. He urged people to attend organised displays and never return to or handle a lit firework. Safety guidance also says burns should be cooled under cool running water for at least 20 minutes, and anyone with a serious injury should call 999.