A 13-year-old boy suffered “severe” burns in a camp fire explosion.

The teenager was sitting next to the abandoned but still smouldering flames which was believed to have been lit to dispose of butane cooking gas cylinders.

It happened down The Warren in Folkestone on Sunday at around 6pm, where it’s thought the boy and a friend sat close by to warm up after a dip in the sea.

Firefighters treated the casualty with oxygen therapy, keeping him warm and cooling his injuries until paramedics arrived.

The police were also called to establish the circumstances of the incident, but it is not being treated as suspicious.

Ambulance service spokesman Rich Airey said paramedics arrived at around 6.20pm and could not confirm which areas of the body were affected by burns.

Mr Airey added: “We sent one car and one ambulance crew to the scene and the teenager was assessed and treated before he was taken to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford.

“At the time the burns were pretty serious, but I don’t have any further details.”

Watch Manager Vic Thorogood of Folkestone Fire Station added: “We would urge anyone using butane or other cooking gas canisters to dispose of them responsibly because as can be seen with this incident, people can very easily be injured through such a careless act.”

The firefighters left the rural area after an hour.