A TODDLER has suffered horrific second-degree burns after touching the UK’s “most dangerous plant”.
Her teacher has urged parents to check if they have giant hogweed in their gardens after the four-year-old ended up in hospital.
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The young tot had been playing in Longsight Park in the Harwood area of Manchester when she touched the hazardous wild flowering plant on Saturday.
She was rushed to A&E – prompting her primary school to issue an urgent warning.
The dangerous plant often grows along hedgerows and looks like cow-parsley, making it even more dangerous to unsuspecting walkers.
In a statement, Hardy Mill Primary School said: “One of our children has sadly been in contact with this plant over the half term break and ended up at the hospital with second degree burns.
“Please look out for this plant in your garden and when out and about with you children.
“We have been informed that this plant is definitely growing in Longsight Park.
“It would be helpful to show your children what this plant looks like so they can avoid coming into contact with it.”
Giant hogweed – Heracleum mantegazzianum – is an infamously dangerous plant which you will probably come across if you walk besides rivers and streams or near a fresh water source.
The plant is particularly worrisome as you don’t have to break it or rub the sap into your skin for its painful effects to take hold – just an unlucky brush with its leaves or stem is all it takes.
Giant hogweed stems have fine needle like hairs that will cause extreme irritation.
Toxins in the sap bind with DNA in skin cells, causing them to die and form huge burns and blisters.
Hogweed can tower up to 25ft tall, with long green stems with purple blotches, huge branches of small white flowers and green leaves.
It is a close relative of cow parsley and the plant’s flower heads can reach 2ft across.
The hot weather amid the coronavirus lockdown along with flooding earlier in the year sparked an explosion in giant hogweed across Britain.
Dozens of sightings of the poisonous plant have been recorded across the UK, according to PlantTracker.
It has been spotted in both the countryside and in cities such as London and Manchester.
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) also describe the plant as a “serious risk to people who are unaware of its potential harm”.
Central Recorder previously reported on two other children who suffered giant hogweed injuries, 10 year-old Lauren and 22 month-old Ella.
According to the Woodland Trust, blistering caused by giant hogweed burns can last for several years.
If you suspect that you have come into contact with giant hogweed, Healthline’s advice is to wash the affected area with mild soap under cool water and keep it out of direct sunlight.
Avoid contact with your eyes as the burning sap can cause blindness.
If burns or blisters form, you should seek medical attention immediately as they can be treated with anti-inflammatory creams.
A full guide to giant hogweed, including how it looks and how to get rid of it, can be found here.