A FOUR-year-old girl suffered horrific burns after a firework "shot out sideways" and hit her in the neck.

Rosie-May Mason, from Cwmbran in Wales, was enjoying a fireworks display in a friend's garden when a rogue flare misfired and hit her.

She was struck in the neck and her coat was set alight, before her dad James dialled 999 immediately.

Rosie-May's mum Ellie said: "The fireworks were all set off in a completely safe way. It was all fun and games and laughter until one flare shot out sideways and hit Rosie-May."

While the family waited anxiously for paramedics to arrive, James Googled how to treat burns.

The ambulance call handler also gave him vital advice over the phone as he bundled his daughter into the bath, dousing the burnt area with tepid water and putting cling film over it to keep it clean.

Rosie-May was then taken by the Welsh Ambulance Service to the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport where she was assessed.

Ellie continued: "It was like a scene out of Casualty. There were loads of doctors and nurses all making sure she was okay."

But it was decided that the best place for Rosie-May to be treated was at Morriston Hospital's Burns Centre in Swansea where specialist staff and equipment were available.

“We’d never even been to Swansea before, but we didn’t care how far away it was. It was the best place for her to be, so that’s where she went. We never thought twice,” said James.

Ellie added: "They had to scrub all of her neck to pop all the blisters.

"She then had to go and have surgery involving a chemical scrub which caused all her face to swell up.

"She had quite nasty marks for 10 days."

Rosie-May spent five weeks in the Burns Centre where she received skin grafts – taken from her scalp – and was then sent home with a comprehensive support package for her and her family, with regular follow-up visits.

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She’s now a bright and bubbly five-year-old, one far removed from the very poorly child that arrived at the Royal Gwent a year ago.

• You can support the Raise for Rosie fund here

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