This Morning: Little girl, 10, reveals horrific burns after touching UK’s ‘most dangerous plant’

Appearing on ITV’s This Morning, Lauren Fuller showed her horrific third-degree burns just days after touching a Giant Hogweed plant

This Morning: Little girl, 10, reveals horrific burns after touching UK\'s ‘most dangerous plant’

by Kayleigh Dray |
Published on

Sitting down on ITV’s This Morning with her mum Charlotte, the 10-year-old told Phillip Schofield and Amanda Holden: “I was out with my dad fishing, and it was raining and I was underneath a big bush.

“It didn’t burn straight away.”

However, come the next day, the frightening after-effects were clear to see.

Lauren said simply: “I woke up Monday morning and my hands were just pure red.”

Charlotte, natural, was absolutely terrified when she saw the extent of her daughter’s blisters - but became even more frantic when she realised that hospital doctors had no idea what had caused it.

She said: “I was absolutely petrified, I didn’t know what it was.

“Doctors were actually Googling it while we were there to try and get some idea, because at first they thought it was sunburn, and when I took her again the next day with these massive blisters, they just didn’t have a clue.”

Via ITV

Speaking about her daughter's future, Charlotte said: “They have said she should make a full recovery and shouldn’t have any scarring... but obviously it’ll take a long time to heal.”

Charlotte also confirmed that Charlotte will need to wear suncream constantly after touching the “UK’s most dangerous plant”, which can grow up to 20ft tall and has toxic sap.

“She’ll need constant sunblock,” she said. “I think there should be warning signs with pictures because a lot of people have heard about it but they’ve never seen it.

“I’d never seen it.”

Via ITV

Giant Hogweed expert Mike Duddy Mike Duddy also appeared on the show, in a bid to make people more aware of the plant’s dangers.

He explained: "Giant hogweed has a purple, mottled stem, it's 20ft tall and has massive head of flowers on the top.

"It's quite distinctive.

"It has been found specifically in riverbanks in last 20 years. But it's now spreading away from river banks. It's a dreadful plant."

He added that people can be fined if the plant is found growing in their gardens, explaining: “The law has changed and the local authorities, if they find it growing on people’s land, they can issue a fixed penalty notice of £100…

“If [it’s] not removed, [you can be fined] up to £5,000.”

Via ITV

Dr Dawn Harper also appeared to give people tips on how to deal with burns if they came into contact with the plant.

She said: “It’s a very toxic sap and it seems to react with sunlight, so if you think that you’ve been exposed the first thing you should do it wash thoroughly with soap and water, and stay out of the sun light as that’s what seems to activate the sap and make these awful burns.

“It’s really toxic stuff. If it’s still getting worse and red then A&E.”

The plant, dubbed "the most dangerous plant in Britain", can leave the victims suffering from recurrent burns months or years later.

It can also cause temporary or permanent blindness.

Do you think more needs to be done to warn people against the dangers of Giant Hogweed?

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