Boy, four, ‘turned into ball of flames’ as 89p Home Bargains bath foam caught fire

A four-year-old boy was left screaming in pain after cheap bath soap caught fire and burned him, his dad has claimed.

Tot Oscar Beddard, four years old, was bathing in Home Bargains’ children’s mouldable bathtub foam when it got into contact with a nearby candle and ignited.

Dad Jonathan told the Liverpool Echo the foam then caught fire and scolded Oscar, leaving him badly hurt and shrieking in pain.

The young man needed hospital treatment for more than a week.

Jonathan, 31, told the Echo: “The foam has caught the candle and then basically engulfed Oscar in a ball of flames from body to head.

“I had just nipped out to the shop and was literally down the road when I got a call saying ‘Oscar’s bath has set on fire it’s that foam’.

“We just had to keep dabbing him with cold water and towels while he was just sat there screaming in pain.”

Oscar’s mum was with him when the terrible accident took place, but that didn’t reassure the little lad, who cried out in pain repeatedly.

He was rushed for treatment at leading children’s hospital Alder Hey, where he spent a week receiving treatment.

Jonathan explained: “It has affected him mentally, he’s not had a bath since, and he’s got more of a temper since it happened and stuff like that.”

Luckily Oscar’s burns healed more quickly than doctors first expected, meaning he won’t need the skin graft first anticipated.

Jonathan claims he purchased the product from a Merseyside branch of Home Bargains.

Echo’s story was not covered by the budget supermarket chain. This is because of ongoing legal issues.

Fieldfisher, the law firm representing Jonathan and Oscar’s mother Nicola (43), are now in contact.

Jonathan added there is a “little flammable sign” on the back of the product, though the family had no idea it could cause such serious burns.

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Jonathan is running Manchester’s 10-K Run to raise money towards Ronald McDonald House. Ronald McDonald house allows Alder Hey families to stay with their children while they are in hospital. This was also the case for Jonathan, Nicola and Nicola.

The crowdfunder has already raised almost £1,000 in just two days.

Home Bargains was asked for comment by the media, but they declined to comment due to ongoing legal matters.