Woman sues Disneyland Paris over crème brûlée 'fireball' burns Published duration 13 July 2017

image copyright PA image caption Erica Osbourne suffered second degree burns and scars in the incident at Disneyland Paris

A woman who was burned when her clothes caught fire in a Disneyland Paris restaurant says she was told it was "no different to falling off a bike".

Erica Osbourne, 37, claims it happened when a chef used a blow torch on a dessert. She lost part of her hair and eyebrows in the incident in February.

She said "a massive fireball came across the counter towards me" as the crème brûlée sugar was lit.

Disneyland Paris said guest safety "is our number one priority".

Mrs Osbourne, from Bristol, said she suffered second degree burns when her jumper caught fire as a chef used the torch on the dessert.

She said the flames narrowly missed her 10-year-old daughter, Abigail, at the Newport Bay Hotel Restaurant.

'Face on fire'

"I had ordered the crème brûlée and Abigail had gone to get an ice cream when the chef lit the sugar and a massive fireball came across the counter towards me.

"I was so terrified that I froze to the spot but I remember an intense heat on my face.

"Abigail told me later that I was screaming 'help me! I'm on fire'. My jumper and my face were on fire."

She said a chef jumped over the counter and he and another customer "bundled me to the ground and rolled me around to put out the flames".

"Immediately after I was burnt one of the managers said to me that the incident was 'no different to falling off a bike'. I couldn't believe it." she added.

Mrs Osbourne was treated by paramedics and spent several hours in hospital. She is now taking legal action against Disneyland Paris for personal injury.

"Incidents of this type are extremely rare," a spokesman for the attraction said.

"As this is an ongoing legal issue which is in the process of being resolved, it would be inappropriate to discuss this further at this time."

James Griffin, from Slater and Gordon, who is representing Mrs Osbourne, said: "This was a terrifying incident that could have resulted in much more serious consequences."

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