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Four teenage boys and a seven-year-old girl have been left with severe burns after coming into contact with a toxic plant growing in parks.
The boys brushed against some giant hogweed when they were playing in Moses Gate Country Park, Bolton, on Saturday.
While Annie Challinor has been left with a permanent scar after her arm blistered from brushing against a dangerous plant during a family walk at Clifton Country Park, Salford.
Their families are now warning of the dangers of the plant, which contains chemicals known as photo-sensitising furanocoumarins. These chemicals prevent the body from protecting itself from UV light and can lead to severe burns.
In all of the cases, a red rash developed on the children’s skin, which grew increasingly more painful and then began to blister
Two of the boys, who both attend Harper Green School, required hospital treatment and are currently on a cocktail of drugs to deal with the pain.
Conor Knott, 13, was kept in hospital overnight and Reid Daley, also 13, has been in and out of Royal Bolton Hospital.
The strange blisters initially baffled medics who thought it was an allergic reaction and sent them back home, their families say. But they were later diagnosed with severe burns after being rushed to A&E.
It can take as long as seven years for the skin to repair itself after a hogweed burn and the boys will now have to make sure they are protected from sunlight.
If the hogweed sap is rubbed into the eyes, it can cause temporary or even permanent blindness.
Mathew Cocklin, Reid’s stepdad, said: “That night on Monday he was screaming in agony. Doctors didn’t have a clue what it was.
“It starts like a red rash, like if you slap someone quite hard it goes bright red and slightly raised up and within 48 hours blisters start to appear.
“Since Tuesday morning he has had to take eight blister tablets in one go, ibuprofen and pain killers. He said ‘I want to die, stop this pain from hurting’.”
Mr Cocklin has since been in touch with Bolton council and has asked for the hogweed to be cut down.
Conor’s aunt, Rachel Brooks, 32, said: “His burns are all down his arms and all down his legs. They don’t seem to be clearing up.”
Little Annie Challinor, 7, had been walking with parents Rebecca and Craig and younger brother Sam, four, when she came into contact with the plant at Clifton Country Park.
It was only during the following two days that she suffered the reaction and, after looking on the internet, her parents realised it had been caused by the giant hogweed plant they had seen on their visit.
Mum Rebecca, 36, from Chorlton, said: “Nothing happened at all on the Saturday, no sting, nothing. It was Sunday I noticed a long line on her shoulder and back but I thought it was a bramble scratch.
“Then on Monday they’d turned into blisters, by that point she’d also got a high temperature and was in significant pain. She was very upset by the blisters, they looked hot and angry, and she cried a lot.”
Annie, a pupil at Oswald Road Primary School in Chorlton, was taken to her local GP who advised that she attend hospital for treatment.
Rebecca, a social worker, added: “Whilst in hospital they washed it, drained it and put a dressing on it. They told us she will be left with a permanent scar and that bit of skin will re-blister every time it is exposed to sunlight, so it’s total sunblock for life on that bit of skin.”
The family had walked around the lake and crossed a bridge to paddle in the River Irwell during their visit on June 27.
Annie was treated with paracetamol, antihistamines and eczema cream, but Rebecca said it was too late as the ‘damage was done’.
She added: “What you’re supposed to do is wash the sap off your skin straight away, but I didn’t know this.”
Annie’s arm is now healing and her parents are treating it to try to minimise any scar damage.
Rebecca urged others to be on the lookout for the plant.
She said: “I identified hog weed by looking on the internet, the marks were so strange - a line of yellow blister, it looked like she’d been whipped. I also remember commenting to my husband, whilst on our walk, that these plants were really beautiful, like something from the Amazon.
“I have since noticed it everywhere - in gardens, in parks, in all areas of Manchester. If you see this plant please don’t touch it.”
A spokesperson from Bolton council said: “We were very sorry to hear of the injuries to four children caused by giant hogweed in Moses Gate Country Park.
"Our policy, which follows the DEFRA code of practice, is to immediately treat all instances of giant hogweed on our land to remove its presence.
"As soon as we were made aware of this plant by one of the parents of the children, we began treatment to remove it.
"We will continue to remove any giant hogweed as soon as it is reported, and would like to encourage the public to report any instances of what they believe to be giant hogweed on council land to neighbourhoodservicesinbox@bolton.gov.uk or by calling 01204 334067.”
A spokesman for Salford City Council said: “We are very sorry to hear about this little girl’s injury. This happened outside Clifton Country park on land owned by United Utilities which we have no control over.
"However we have made them aware of the incident and have asked that they join us in tackling the Giant Hogweed.
“Giant Hogweed was introduced to Britain as an ornamental plant by Victorian gardeners but is incredibly invasive and has spread widely across the countryside.
"It is very, very difficult to control and eradicate but Salford City Council removes or sprays all accessible Giant Hogweed in Clifton Country park. We have also put up warning signs in the park advising people of the dangers of Giant Hogweed.”
A spokesperson for United Utilities said they are investigating.
Although an impressive sight, giant hogweed, part of the carrot family, is an invasive plant.
Growing up to five metres tall, it is mostly found along footpaths and riverbanks though it also grows in places like parks, cemeteries and wasteland.
Its sap contains toxic chemicals which react with light when in contact with human skin, causing blistering within 48 hours.
Effectively it prevents the skin from protecting itself from sunlight, which can lead to very bad sunburn and scarring.
What should you do if your child comes into contact with it?
If you touch a giant hogweed, medical professionals say you should cover the affected area, and wash it with soap and water.
The blisters heal very slowly and can develop into phytophotodermatitis, a type of skin rash which flares up in sunlight.
If you feel unwell or have a severe reaction you are advised to see a doctor.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/hogweed-salford-bolton-plant-toxic-9620900
