Beach in Cornwall six-year-old suffers severe burns to feet

Becci Baker from St Keverne was at Porthoustock Beach on Friday evening at her eldest daughter's primary school leavers party taking her six-year-old daughter Lydia with her.

Her eldest daughter, who went to St Keverne Primary where Lydia is a pupil, went to go for a swim leaving her clothes on the beach.

Lydia ran after her picked up her clothes and followed on after her straight over the top of someone's buried bbq or hot coals under the rocks.

The family is now waiting to hear if she will need to attend the specialist burns unit at Derriford Hospital for further treatment depending on progress at today's bandage change (Image: Becci Baker)

She suffered severe burns on both her feet leading to her needing intranasal fentanyl and entinox whilst they removed as much burnt skin from her feet as they could.

The rocks were so hot they even set the clothes Lydia was carrying on fire

The family is now waiting to hear if she will need to attend the specialist burns unit at Derriford Hospital for further treatment depending on progress at today's bandage change. All this at the start of the summer holidays.

"She's unable to walk for the foreseeable future and in A LOT of pain!" Becci told the Packet. 

"Parts of her feet that have no blood circulating to them there are other bits that aren’t quite so bad but it’s all in between her toes.

"The coals were so hot that they actually set the clothes she was carrying on fire so she was left with a black sooty hand but thankfully there was no injury to her hand."

She said they’re not sure whether it was a barbecue or a fire left there that caused the injuries as they were too busy attending to Lydia.

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"We just tried pouring cold water over them," said Becci. "The little café The Thirsty Buffalo gave us gel to put on them, then I got her home and put her feet in a bowl of cold water. I then rang the doctors for help and they told me to take her straight to A&E. We had to keep her feet in cold water for 20 minutes and then wrap her feet in cling film before taking her to hospital.

"I feel very angry. Just want to raise awareness. Please everyone make sure your children are wearing beach shoes to try and prevent anyone else having to see their child in so much pain due to someone else's negligence."

The family now need to somehow borrow a child’s wheelchair, something that elevates the legs to reduce swelling. Becci said the hospital directed them to Red Cross but they are all out on loan.

If anyone has a wheelchair for Lydia they can email the Packet at editorial@packetseries.co.uk and we'll pass your contact details on.