A teenager will need a skin graft after suffering severe burns when petrol was used to light a disposable barbecue in Walsall, it was revealed today.

Lindsey Plant was airlifted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital with 36 per cent burns to both of her legs at the weekend.

The 19-year-old was injured when her boyfriend Chris Flintoff became frustrated that the barbecue would not light and used a dish full of petrol.

But the flames shot back up and set his hands on fire.

Desperate to put out the flames he threw the small dish behind him not realising Miss Plant was walking there to fetch her mobile phone.

She ended up with the serious burns following the accident at Mr Flintoff’s home in Sussex Avenue, Aldridge, where she had also been living, at around 2.45pm on Saturday.

Ronald Poole, aged 68, of Brookfield Road, said his grandson Chris tried to put out the fire with his hands but she had been “burnt terribly.”