London: Children as young as eight are being used to smuggle banned pyrotechnic devices into Premier League football grounds, according to research published on Tuesday .
A survey of 1,635 supporters commissioned by the Premier League found that a third of fans had been directly affected by flares and that 86 percent felt concerned for their safety. There has been a rise in incidents involving pyrotechnics at Premier League matches in recent seasons, with an assistant referee hit by a smoke bomb thrown from the stands during a game at Aston Villa in October.
The research also revealed that CCTV footage at one Premier League ground showed a young boy handing out fireworks to adults from a rucksack.
The Premier League, the Football League and the Football Association are launching a campaign to remind supporters that it is illegal to bring such items to matches. “A disturbing element of increased pyrotechnics has been the involvement of children,“ the Premier League said in a statement.
“It is not uncommon for 'mules' to bring the pyrotechnics into a ground on behalf of others, and in one incident at a Premier League match last season a child aged around eight was observed aiding those involved in pyrotechnic use.“
