Firecracker causes heart attack

AN elderly man is believed to have suffered a heart-attack after an ‘extremely loud’ firecracker was allegedly set off near him in Shelly Beach at around 9.30am today.

The man, who is thought to be in his early 70s, was treated by paramedics in the beach parking area before being taken to hospital.

“This is now proof that firecrackers can not only harm animals, but also people,” said Louis Boshoff, former chairman of Shelly Beach Policing and Tourism Forum, who was at the scene.

He added that the sound of the cracker exploding was so loud that people thought a tyre had burst. It has also been reported that locals saw ‘smoke’ coming from the beach, after the cracker was let off.