AN EXPLODING firework hit a North Yorkshire town mayor in the face as he lit it at a public show.

Councillor Colin Trevor, who is the Mayor of Selby, was taken to hospital after the faulty rocket cut his chin and burnt his arm.

Fortunately, he was wearing a helmet with a protective visor.

Selby Town Council immediately cancelled the remainder of the show, held on the community field in Scott Road on Saturday.

Coun Trevor said: "The rocket was in a tube that it normally fires from, but it seemed to have a bit of plastic wedged inside which didn't allow it to come out.

"It exploded in the tube and I saw part of it come across to me. It hit the visor of my helmet, cut my chin and hit me on the arm."

Coun Trevor was released from hospital after treatment.

"We'd got through about half of the show, but a lot of the fireworks weren't going off because it was raining," he said today.

Letters were destroyed when firebugs put lit fireworks into a post-box in a York street.

Firefighters were called to the fire in the pillar box in Stray Road, Burnholme, at about 7.20 last night after receiving reports that two rockets had been put inside it. A dry powder extinguisher was used to tackle the fire to prevent further damage to the mail.

Updated: 11:58 Monday, November 04, 2002