A THIRTY-four-year-old woman who was engulfed in flames after pouring petrol on to a garden fire had to be rushed to hospital by air ambulance.

Gail McNeill, of Structons Heath, Great Witley, was rushed to the burns unit at Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham.

She was treated for severe burns to her face, chest and arms.

County Air Ambulance spokesman Dave Turner said Mrs McNeill was conscious but in considerable pain during the flight which took about 10 minutes.

A spokeswoman for the hospital this week described her condition as "comfortable and improving."

The incident has sparked a warning by the Hereford and Worcester fire service, which attended the incident at around 2.30pm on Saturday, about bonfire and barbecue safety.

Community fire safety officer Adrian Moore said: "Never put flammable liquid on to a bonfire or barbecue to get them going."

He said barbecues should only be started with firelighters or proper barbecue lighting fuel which did not give off vapours.

Mr Moore said to avoid causing a nuisance to neighbours and spreading fire, bonfires should be avoided.

Garden waste should be turned into compost instead, or taken to a household refuse site.

He added people did not realise vapours from flammable liquids were invisible and could spread for some distance, igniting and engulfing a person in flames.