ORGANISERS of a hotel bonfire that sparked complaints of overcrowding and people being hit by hot ash and a stray firework have apologised “for any discomfort felt” by guests.

A spokesman for Jupiter Hotels, which owns the Mercure Bradford Hotel at Bingley, said he wanted to make it clear a full risk assessment had been in place for the event.

The Telegraph & Argus was contacted by a number of families and posts were made on Facebook with numerous complaints about the hotel’s organised bonfire and fireworks display on Saturday.

They claimed there were no first aiders, no stewards and no one to control people coming in through the gates without tickets.

But Jupiter Hotels insisted there was a safety and security team on site.

The spokesman said: “We are aware that there have been complaints about the bonfire event at our Bradford hotel at the weekend.

“For clarity, a full risk assessment was in place for the entirety of the event, which included provision of six first aiders as well as a team of 10 from the hotel supervising and seven stewards patrolling the entrance.”

The spokesman also said a site visit had since taken place and meetings had been held with the show organisers.

“We are also in conversation with guests who attended the event,” he added.

One of those guests is Allerton Road mum Alice Naylor, 32. She said her three-year-old son Leo was hit in the face by hot ash which also burned a hole in his coat.

She told the T&A the hotel’s general manager had contacted her to offer a £10 refund, which she had refused.

Mum-of-four Joanne Holroyd, 28 from Haworth Road, whose son Callum, eight, was taken to Airedale General Hospital with a suspected head injury after a wayward firework shot into the crowd, struck his aunt’s hand then hit his head, said she had received a phone call from the hotel saying they would be in touch again in 10 days’ time.

In the statement to the T&A, the Jupiter Hotels spokesman said he believed the influx of guests at Bankfield and “a subsequent feeling of overcrowding, which was very disappointing” was to blame on Myrtle Park not having a bonfire this year.

“The team worked hard to manage attendance numbers and we apologise for any discomfort felt by our guests,” he said.

Bradford Council has now said it will “need to investigate the issues” surrounding the bonfire that prompted complaints about overcrowding and Jupiter Hotels had said it would be co-operating.

The council said although the hotel did not need an official licence for the bonfire and fireworks display, it had a Temporary Event Notice in place for Saturday, which covered alcohol and music, for up to 499 people.

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