A West Lothian family has been left in terror after a group of yobs launched fireworks at their home, causing fear and distress among the residents, including young children. The incident occurred in Whitburn when Kelly-Marie Docherty, 39, along with her partner, Mark Flemming, and two of their children, aged ten and 11, were targeted by the thugs on Tuesday night. The family was inside their home when the fireworks were shot at their property, with shocking footage captured by their ring doorbell showing the disturbing attack.
Multiple fireworks were launched at the house, with one hitting the upstairs area and causing sparks to erupt over the driveway. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but Kelly-Marie’s car’s windscreen was left scorched by one of the fireworks. The family was traumatised by the incident, with Kelly-Marie describing the ordeal as terrifying and horrifying. Their neighbour intervened to chase the culprits away, bringing an end to the ten-minute ordeal that felt much longer for the frightened family.
The damage caused by the fireworks is estimated to cost the family between £400 and £500, but the emotional impact on the children was significant. Kelly-Marie expressed gratitude that they were all indoors and safe during the attack, highlighting how much worse the situation could have been if they had been outside at the time. The family remains shaken by the incident, with concerns about the possibility of further attacks.
This disturbing incident is just one of several recent firework-related incidents in the area, including another incident in Livingston where pyrotechnics were shot from a moving car. Calls for stricter regulations on fireworks in West Lothian have been raised, with concerns about the dangers posed by misuse of fireworks in residential areas. In 2022, the Scottish Government granted local authorities the power to designate firework control zones following incidents in Dundee.
Efforts to promote firework safety and prevent such reckless behaviour are ongoing, with appeals for information to help authorities take necessary action. The incident in Whitburn has sparked discussions about implementing further measures to ensure the safety and well-being of residents in the area. The family and the community are seeking reassurance that steps will be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future and hold those responsible accountable.