Mother's horror as young boy left with burns from toxic giant HOGWEED in the playground
A YOUNG boy was left in agony with horrifying burns after brushing against toxic hogweed in a playground.
Young Jacob Lambert was left with burns after brushing past some hogweed
Jacob Lambert, 10, was playing tag in the trees and long grass in Weel, a hamlet near Tickton, East Riding of Yorkshire, on Monday night with his friend.
But within 24 hours the schoolboy's hands and arms were covered in painful blisters the size of 50p pieces.
Jacob's parents Samantha and Paul Lambert initially thought the red marks were an allergic reaction, but when he was sent home from school the following day they rushed him to their GP.
Mother-of-three Ms Lambert, 29, said: "He came out in painful-looking blisters - it looked like he'd dipped his hands into a deep fat fryer.
Jacob was left in agony after the hogweed encounter
It looked like he'd dipped his hands into a deep fat fryer
"He was in a lot of pain and when he came from school his skin was red with what looked like second-degree burns."
Ms Lambert took the Tickton Primary School pupil to Beverley Health Centre in Manor Road, where the symptoms initially baffled doctors.
She said: "The first doctor we saw wasn't entirely sure what it was but ruled out a virus.
"A second doctor took a look at it and said he'd dealt with a similar case years ago and that it might be caused by hogweed."
Ms Lambert was given antihistamines and an antiseptic cream designed to treat burns.
But one day later, Ms Lambert was approached by another parent who said her son had also been sent home from school with blisters similar to Jacob's all down his legs.
Burns up the youngster's arm
At A&E a dermatologist confirmed that giant hogweed was the cause - he was given steroid cream and had the burns dressed.
Jacob's blisters left him in agony and unable to hold a pen or dress himself so Ms Lambert took him to Hull Royal Children's A&E where he had 15 of the large blisters drained and dressed.
Ms Lambert said: "I just want to make people aware of hogweed and what it can do - it's been so traumatic - even the doctors didn't know what it was straight away.
"I've heard of cases where children have been hospitalised after coming into contact with hogweed because they were that seriously blistered.
"Luckily for us it's just been his hands and arms, but if he'd been in his shorts and t-shirt it could have been much worse.
"As a parent it was so alarming that I didn't know what this plant was or the dangers it posed."
Hogweed: Expert explains dangers of plant
Hogweed can grow up to five metres tall and can often be found along footpaths and riverbanks
The sap from the hogweed causes photosensitivity, which makes the skin very sensitive to sunlight, so Jacob will now have to plaster factor 50 sunblock on over the summer months.
Ms Lambert said that Tickton Parish Council, which is responsible for the playground, has been alerted and that she saw workmen in protective overalls removing the weed on Thursday.
An East Riding Council spokesman said it had instructed a contractor to clear a patch of giant hogweed to protect the public.