A MAN suffered severe burns to his arms and face when he was engulfed by flames after petrol was poured on a bonfire behind his Bolton home.

The man, who has not been named, was burning rubbish and wood in the garden of his home in Haroldene Street, Tonge Moor, when the accident happened.

A fire brigade spokesman said the father of one threw petrol on to the flames and the fire exploded, burning both of his arms and his face, at 9.40pm last night.

The man was treated by ambulance paramedics before being taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital, where he was detained overnight.