A mum has described the dramatic moment her daughter was almost crushed by an out-of-control tea cup ride during a fireworks display.

Chelsea Thompson arrived at Leeds Castle in Maidstone on Saturday with her two daughters Ruby and Elsie to watch the exciting spectacle.

Instead, her children spent half an hour being checked over by paramedics after the tea cup ride malfunctioned.

A tea cup had come loose and fallen off its platform striking Ruby, five, in the head and coming to a rest on top of Elsie.

Mrs Thompson, from Whitstable, said: “I was at the food stall. When I went back from getting the food their nan came over to tell us about it.

“The teacup tilted and it came off the platform and hit my two daughters.

“It hit my eldest daughter in the head and the teacup landed on my younger daughter and it had to be lifted off her.

“Elsie was hysterically crying. She wasn’t injured and there are no bruises. It is very lucky.”

Video: Chelsea Thompson describes her daughter's ordeal on the teacups

Mrs Thompson has contacted the organisers of the weekend event but said she is yet to hear back from Leeds Castle.

She added: “My daughters were seen to and checked over at the first aid tent. We didn’t see the fireworks because were there the whole time.

“No members of staff came up to me. I haven’t had an apology. I have emailed Leeds Castle but I haven’t heard anything back.

“I think they should issue the families involved at least an apology for what has happened.”

Spokesman for Leeds Castle Gemma Wright said: "Leeds Castle can confirm that an incident occurred yesterday evening before the fireworks event involving a low-level fairground ride falling from its revolving platform.

"As with any event of this size, Leeds Castle has a full team of paramedics on site who arrived within moments of the report of the incident, the ride being but fifty yards from the medical station, as did Leeds Castle’s chief executive and health & safety officer who had both been in the control room when the incident was reported.

"Whilst the incident was attended by Kent Police, no other emergency service was called upon and Kent Police departed the site satisfied with the immediate response.

"Three people were directly involved and, while understandably shocked, none sustained significant physically injury and were able to watch the full fireworks display.

"The ride was being operated by an independent contractor who had all the necessary licences and up-to-date safety certificates for the rides at the event.

"The ride will be removed from the site once further inspections have taken place. All other rides are being inspected as a matter of course."

The display went ahead last night as planned.