Giant kite breaks free at Wirral festival - 10th Jun 2009 9:05pm
Giant kite breaks free at Wirral festival
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A RUNAWAY kite knocked over a small child and nearly swept away a pram.
The giant star-shaped kite broke free in high winds at Wirral’s International Kite Festival this weekend.
It swept across two fields at the New Brighton Dips and knocked into the toddler before snagging the pram nearby.
Shocked witness William Lee, who photographed the event, dived onto the ropes while other bystanders jumped onto the kite.
Mr Lee said: “I lay on the floor gripping the ropes until someone came over and untangled them from the pram.
“A group of men had dived onto the kite, flattening it and preventing it from being picked up by the wind.
“The kids and their mum were understandably shaken and upset, but didn't appear hurt.
“I managed to land badly on my shoulder and cut my leg on the pram – but at least I’d already packed my camera away.
“The weight probably saved me from being dragged away too.
“But joking aside, it all could have ended badly with the pram and child being dragged into the road. It was a lucky escape.”
Competitors from across the world brought their colourful kites to the popular seventh annual two-day kite festival.
Kitemaker and stunt flyer Robert Brasington, 55, flew to the event from Tasmania.
He said: “The high winds have made things a little bumpy but you can’t have perfect conditions every year.
“The feedback we had from people who came to the event was amazing.”
WIRRAL NEWS
A RUNAWAY kite knocked over a small child and nearly swept away a pram.
The giant star-shaped kite broke free in high winds at Wirral’s International Kite Festival this weekend.
It swept across two fields at the New Brighton Dips and knocked into the toddler before snagging the pram nearby.
Shocked witness William Lee, who photographed the event, dived onto the ropes while other bystanders jumped onto the kite.
Mr Lee said: “I lay on the floor gripping the ropes until someone came over and untangled them from the pram.
“A group of men had dived onto the kite, flattening it and preventing it from being picked up by the wind.
“The kids and their mum were understandably shaken and upset, but didn't appear hurt.
“I managed to land badly on my shoulder and cut my leg on the pram – but at least I’d already packed my camera away.
“The weight probably saved me from being dragged away too.
“But joking aside, it all could have ended badly with the pram and child being dragged into the road. It was a lucky escape.”
Competitors from across the world brought their colourful kites to the popular seventh annual two-day kite festival.
Kitemaker and stunt flyer Robert Brasington, 55, flew to the event from Tasmania.
He said: “The high winds have made things a little bumpy but you can’t have perfect conditions every year.
“The feedback we had from people who came to the event was amazing.”
WIRRAL NEWS
