Sunderland v Birmingham: Image issued after flare hits fan's wheelchair

Police have released this CCTV image of a man they want to speak to

Police investigating after a 12-year-old football fan's wheelchair was hit by a flare have issued a photo of a man they want to trace.

The flare was thrown from the away section of the Stadium of Light into the lower north stand during Sunderland's home match against Birmingham City on 15 April.

It released a cloud of blue smoke.

The boy, called Charlie, said he did not "feel safe" going back to the same stand.

Northumbria Police said CCTV images showed a man who was in the area at the time.

Sunderland fan Charlie said he was pulled out of the smoke by his mam, Helen

Speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle in the days after the incident, Charlie said he had been at the ground with his mother, Helen, for the first time in months after undergoing surgery to have his spine fused.

"Birmingham City had just scored and all of a sudden I saw a big ball of blue smoke coming around me," he said.

"The next thing I know my mam is pulling me out of the smoke.

"I knew that something had been thrown down but what panicked me was I am prone to respiratory issues and I was stuck in a big ball of blue smoke.

"It could have caused loads of problems, I could have been in hospital."