POLICE and trading standards officer today issued a public appeal in a bid to discover who gave teenager Paul Ridge the illegal firework which killed him.

The 18-year-old died when the aerial display shell, a professional device which was banned from being sold to the public three years' ago, exploded in his face.

Paul, of Pembroke Street, Burnley, died after group of people set fireworks off close to the Duke of York pub, Duke Bar.

It is believed he had already set one of devices off and went to look at a second one which had not exploded when it went off in his face.

After two people were killed by the fireworks in 1996 and numerous people had been injured, the Government banned the fireworks from public sale and only allowed them to be sold to professional pyrotechnics experts.

Today police and trading standards officers were beginning an investigation to discover where the firework was bought. They were questioning shopkeepers in a bid to discover where the shell had been bought and urged anyone with information to contact them on 01282 425001.

Independent firework safety expert Andy Hubble said: "The firework was an aerial display shell, known as an onion.

"It is a firework that is in the shape of an onion with a long fuse. It goes down into a cardboard tube and the fuse comes out of the end of the tube and is lit at arm's length.

"It fires out of the tube like a canon ball into the air and bursts like a rocket at 300 to 400ft high.

"It is the most spectacular of all fireworks and anyone watching the Sydney Olympics would have seen lots of these in the display." Mr Hubble said he was confident the Burnley incident was isolated. He said: "It is extremely sad. I really feel for the people involved in this, but I don't believe they are widely available. You don't hear of these fireworks getting into the wrong hands and this is the first incident of this kind I have heard of this year.

"Under the firework safety regulations of 1997 they were banned by the Government for sale to the public.

"As to how he obtained it that will be subject to a full investigation."

He advised anyone buying fireworks to make sure they were marked with British Standard 7114, ensure there are full instructions in English on the firework and make sure they are bought from a reputable dealer where they can be returned if there is a problem.

He said people should read the label and find out how much space is needed -- many require 25m or 80ft of space and most gardens are not large enough.

Mr Hubble added: "People should not get scared about fireworks that are on sale, if they are to British Standard. If anyone finds a firework that is not marked to British Standard they should inform trading standards."

Paul's brother Mark and the rest of his family was too upset to talk about what had happened.

Police said the results of a post mortem examination were consistent with Paul's injuries being caused by a firework.

East Lancashire coroner David Smith has been informed and an inquest will be held.