THE boy set on fire in Worcester has spoken briefly to police about his ordeal but is still not well enough to be formally interviewed.

Johnny Baldwin, aged 11, received 30 per cent burns to his chest and abdomen following the terrifying attack on a canal footbridge in Perdiswell on Wednesday, August 10.

After undergoing several operations, he is now described as being in a comfortable condition at Swansea's Morriston Hospital, where he was on a specialist paediatric burns ward.

A police spokesman said: "We have had a discussion with John Baldwin but future interviews will be dependent on his progress. The details of the initial talk with him are not being released."

Police investigating the incident said they have "had a tremendous response from the public with information".

Officers are keeping an open mind as to what had happened, but did not rule out the possibility that Johnny had been attacked by other children.

The youngster himself told residents who had gone to help him: "They set me on fire, they set me on fire." When asked who, he replied: "Children."