A little girl was badly burned when a stray firework shot into the crowd and exploded at the town’s organised display.

Imogen Hulme, aged four, was taken to the burns unit at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital with arm, hand and leg injuries after her coat caught fire.

Spectators claimed it was the second firework that misfired into the crowd.

The incident happened at Wilmslow Round Table’s bonfire at The Carnival Fields, Altrincham Road, on Saturday night.

A six-year-old boy with ash in his eye was treated at the scene by paramedics.

Imogen, a pupil at Gorsey Bank Primary School, spent two days in hospital and was sent home on Monday evening after having her burns redressed. She will be off school for at least 10 days and will then return to hospital for a check-up.

At home at Friars Close, Wilmslow, where she lives with her mum and grandmother, Imogen said: "I was watching the pretty fireworks when one came out along the floor, hit my shoe then jumped up at me. It set me on fire.

"I was scared. I had to go to hospital and have lots of medicine."

Imogen’s mum Alice Hulme, 22, who was with her daughter and partner at the display said: "We were about nine rows from the front barrier watching the main display with Imogen stood next to us.

"A firework shot under the barrier and along the floor. There was a red explosion and everyone started running. I shouted for Imogen – when I found her she was screaming and her coat was on fire. I put it out as quickly as I could and a woman from the Red Cross ran over and took her to one of the ambulances where they put water on her until another ambulance came.

"Imogen was taken to Wythenshawe Hospital then transferred to the specialist burns unit at the children’s hospital because they thought she might need surgery. They sedated her and gave her morphine for the pain."

Alice praised the actions of marshals at the event, but was upset by the attitude of police.

"When we told a police officer what had happened she said she wouldn't stop the display or even warn the organisers so they could move the barriers back."

She has now put in an official complaint with Cheshire Constabulary about officers’ handling of the incident.

Another woman at the display was so scared by what happened she took her family home. She wrote in an email to the Express: "We saw two of the huge fireworks shoot out towards the crowd. The first came towards me, my husband and our two-year-old girl. Thankfully it stopped about 5m before reaching the crowd, but had clearly misfired.

"The second happened only a couple of minutes later and was much more serious. It terrified me so much we just turned and left. For one to misfire is bad enough – but two is incredible. And to not stop the fireworks seems so risky."

The incidents are being investigated by Wilmslow Round Table and SM Art Pyrotechnics which carried out the display. Stephen Killilea, of Wilmslow Round Table, said: "Unfortunately there was an incident during the main firework display, whereby a firework misfired and headed towards the spectators.

"We understand this incident resulted in injuries to two children, who were immediately attended to by Round Table marshals and the Red Cross. We sympathise with those involved and are in the process of investigating the cause of this incident."

SM Art Pyrotechnics were unavailable to comment.

A police spokesman confirmed the incidents and added: "Cheshire Police have received a complaint and so are unable to comment further at this time."

An investigation has been launched by Cheshire East Council’s Public Protection and Health team.