A small child has been killed by a firework rocket during the village fiestas in Montillana in the north of the province.

The 5-year-old had arrived with his family from Alcalá la Real in Jañen on the big day of this village of 1,400 inhabitants. However, a rocket was let off by mistake and the child received the full impact of the firework.

What happened is that when the large signal rocket took off to mark the commencement of the fiestas (el chupinazo), its sparks set off other ones lying on the ground.

Most took off in a direction where there was nobody but the fatal one flew towards the stands, directly at the victim, impacting against his throat.

Although the ambulance on standby at the scene attended to him immediately, he died on the the stretcher before they could get him into the ambulance.

The village fiestas were immediately suspended.

(News, Montillana, Montes de Granada, Andalucia)