AN unexploded shell the size of a large orange fell into a private garden during a spectacular firework display at the Upton-upon-Severn Water Festival.

It was examined by town councillors this week after being picked up by a resident on East Waterside.

"If it landed on someone's car or head, it could've done a lot of damage," said the Mayor, Councillor Roger Barker.

"Clearly this isn't acceptable. It's not something we can afford to overlook. A lot of people who commented to me on this year's fireworks weren't just killjoys.

"One of the last fireworks was quite violent and out of keeping with the rest of the display. It was making windows shake and people were genuinely frightened."

He said a man who lived in the firework "drop zone" had filled a plastic bag with debris, including the shell, which had landed in his garden.

"Why can't the festival have their fireworks on Fish Meadow?" asked Coun Barker.

Coun Simon Wilkinson said a festival working party had met for a post mortem on this year's event without knowing anything about the complaint.

"If we're going to discuss this with the Water Festival organisers it ought to be sooner rather than later," he told fellow town councillors.

At the suggestion of Deputy Mayor Eric White, members agreed to invite organisers to meet members of the open spaces committee.

The riverside firework display, combined with lasers and water cannons, is a popular feature of the annual Upton Water Festival, organised by Rowan Thomas, of Pepperpot Pyrotechnics.

Mr Thomas said he could not understand why the resident had not approached him or festival organisers after the August Bank Holiday event.

"I'd willingly go round and clear up any mess and sort out any problems. We send out a letter about it every year," he said.

"We used the same sort of materials this year as in previous years, but it sounds as though one of them didn't ignite. It's only dangerous if you put a match to it.

"Unfortunately, there are inherent dangers with any firework display. We do all we can to minimise the dangers.

"I'm professionally trained in risk assessment by the fire brigade. We take all reasonable precautions and are fully insured."

East Waterside resident Hamish Barkley said the firework debris had missed his garden this year.

"We've had problems in the past, chiefly with noise, and drains blocked by debris," he said.

"You have to live with these things. It's a wonderful project for bringing people into town and Rowan Thomas is always very helpful if anything goes wrong."