Many years ago me and my mates could buy fireworks if Nigel was with us as he looked 14 and that was the minimum legal age back then. We'd then take them to a nearby wood and do a 'genie' on them. We all clubbed together one weekend and brought what was called an Atom Bomb. It was thick as our arms and had a broom handle as the stick. A wall was found and the cardboard was removed and the gunpowder was placed in a line on this wall with the main charge at the end. We had a discusion wether to have a short wide or a long thin fuse.We chose a long thin line as we thought it would give the person lighting it (Poor old Nigel again...he had the longest arms) time to run to the protection of a tree. We found a dry stick and lit the end ,to give Nigel even more distance from the explosion soon to come. The rest of us positioned ourselves behind other trees and egged Nigel on. He nevously lit it, turned 180 degrees and was just about to take his first step when he was thrown to the ground by the explosion. The others rushed to his aid, turned him over to see his eyes had glazed over and was deaf to all the "Nige are you ok?" questions. I meanwhile was found sat at the base of my tree crying my eyes out and hugging my legs. I didn't want to stand up as i had wet myself through laughing so much.
Stupid, silly and dangerous and not to be tried by anyone reading this, but at the time.......
I have to add this happened on a Saturday, When we got back to school on the Monday we all asked the same question "Have yours ears been ringing all weekend??!!!"