A 34-year-old woman was accidentally set alight by her boyfriend when he poured petrol over a lit bonfire.

Firefighters say the woman, who is still being treated for her serious burns at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, is lucky to be alive after the incident in Thornton Heath on May 9.

The couple had been burning a bonfire in the back garden of their Whitehorse Lane house when the accident happened at around 11.20pm.

Firefighters say that a 32-year-old man poured flammable fuel over the fire to "get it going" but set his girlfriend alight in the process, causing severe burns to her upper body.

Officers say the incident should serve as a stark warning to people who use flammable materials to fuel the flames of bonfires.

Sub officer Kevin Eager, from Woodside fire station, said: "This was an awful incident. This woman is going to be in hospital for a good few weeks yet and the man who poured petrol over the flames got burns to his hands.

"We would like to remind people to never, under any circumstances, use fuel to light a bonfire as it can have devastating effects. This woman is lucky to be alive really. It could have easily gone the other way."

A London Ambulance Service spokesman confirmed that they attended the scene and treated a woman with severe burns to her neck, hands, front and back of her legs.

She was given fluid at the scene and was taken to an emergency and then specialist burns unit at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, where she has remained.

May 29, 2003 09:30