A mum-of-four watched her skin burn off when boiling water exploded from the hot water bottle she had tucked into her leggings.

Sophie Mason, 29, said the injuries were so deep her ‘veins collapsed’ and she instantly felt sick.

She had been about to curl up on the evening of 30 September when the hot water bottle – filled with water from a freshly boiled kettle – split.

Sophie said: ‘It had been raining outside so we were cold. I got my husband to fill the hot water bottle for me with water from the kettle.

‘I always tuck it down the front of my leggings to keep it secure. When I did it split down the seam.

‘I can’t explain how it felt, I instantly felt sick.

‘I shouted to Mark. I was trying to take my clothes off but my hand was burning. My husband ripped them off and started chucking cold tea towels at me to cool me down.

‘Mark phoned an ambulance and I went into shock as my veins had collapsed.’

Sophie was rushed to hospital where she needed two skin grafts to repair the extensive damage to her stomach and leg, where her skin had painfully burnt off.

A burn on her hand had left her nerves exposed.

She said: ‘The nurses were trying to get control all the blisters that were coming up – there must have been 100 blisters on my stomach and legs. They were popping them open and covering me up to protect my me.’

On 4 October, Sophie underwent a three hour operation to cover her burns by covering them with skin from the back of her right thigh.

She said: ‘They didn’t initially know how deep the burns were because they take about two or three says to show how bad they are.

‘When I went for a check up they weren’t sure whether I needed a skin graft, but I went back on Friday and they said I needed two.

‘After the operation I had to stay in hospital as my graft was bleeding and I had to go back last night as well.

‘I’m in a lot of pain and my mobility is very limited. It’s had a very big impact and it’s going to for a while. It’s not going to get better for months.’

Friends were horrified by the accident and Sophie has urged them and others to never fill hot water bottles with boiling water.

She said: ‘Listen to your husband when he says don’t do it. He’s been telling me for years and I’ve been saying you’re paranoid.

‘I know so many people who’ve said they do this. They always advise not to put boiling water inside in case this happens.

‘I’m just grateful it happened to me and not a child.’

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