A media law expert has argued there was a “strong public interest” in publishing footage of a freak accident that prompted criticism of a regional publisher.

Mark Hanna, the outgoing co-author of McNae’s Essential Law for Journalists, has defended Reach plc after the publisher came under fire for running video of an accident that put a nine-year-old boy in hospital.

The footage, originally shared on social media, showed the child being swept 20 feet into the air by a gust of wind while inside an inflatable “zorb ball” during the Southport Food & Drink Festival.

The video was published on the websites of Reach titles including the Liverpool Echo and Glasgow’s Daily Record, prompting criticism from Sefton Council leader Ian Maher, before subsequently being taken down.

National titles including The Sun and Mail Online also published the footage, as well as still images taken from it.

Giving his take on the issue on Twitter, Mark, pictured, described it as a “horrific accident for the boy and [his] family” before adding: “But there’s a strong public interest in showing the footage at the appropriate time, to fully show ‘zorb ball’ danger.

“Mail Online and The Sun [are] still showing the images. [It’s an] apparent example of such nationals diverging from regionals on what’s appropriate.”

Reach declined to respond to Mark’s comments, while HTFP has also approached The Sun and Mail Online for a response.