Image: Pip Cleaves via Twitter

A fireworks display has gone horribly wrong on the Central Coast forcing thousands of onlookers to evacuated from Terrigal Beach.

The 9pm fireworks onboard a barge at Terrigal caught fire after a rogue wave sent the fireworks sideways and caused remnants of the explosion to fly in the direction of bystanders.

Police worked quickly to move people off the sand.

The moment the barge of fireworks exploded at Terrigal pic.twitter.com/3MDm60XW3Y

— Pip Cleaves (@pipcleaves) December 31, 2017

#PMLNYE
Barge caught on fire at terrigal beach and big explosion occurred pic.twitter.com/5gJbl36ykX

— Emilie Shapiro (@emilie1002) December 31, 2017

Two technicians were forced to jump into the water to escape the flames before they were plucked to safety. Both men suffered minor injuries.

It’s the first time fireworks have been at Terrigal in some years.

There was another close-call with a firecracker on the Northern Beaches, where a 17-year-old boy suffered serious burns.