A BOY suffered burns when flames from a rubbish fire "exploded" in his face.

Lewis Kent, aged nine, of Earlesdon Crescent, is believed to have been injured in the flare-up after petrol or oil was poured onto the blaze sending flames shooting into the air, scorching his face.

The schoolboy ran from the scene of the fire outside a house in Chedworth Crescent to his own home nearby.

Ambulance paramedics gave Lewis first aid at the scene before they took him to Salford's Hope Hospital.

A spokesman confirmed he was detained overnight with superficial injuries. A fire crew from Farnworth was called out to deal with the fire shortly after 6pm yesterday but it was already extinguished on their arrival.

Farnworth station officer Paul Starling said: "This just shows the danger of playing with fire but no matter how many times children are told we still have incidents like this.

"I appeal to all parents to remind their children that playing with matches can lead to serious injury."