Swansea: Girl, 7, let out 'horrifying scream' after stepping on buried barbecue

A seven-year-old girl let out a "horrifying scream" and may need surgery after she suffered severe burns to her feet from a used barbecue buried in the sand.

Simi Adenaike from Mount Pleasant was playing on the sand with her family at Swansea Bay beach before she stepped on the hidden barbecue and was rushed to hospital.

Despite there being a number of specialist bins for this waste in the bay the hot barbecue was covered up by sand.

Simi's mum Alex Adenaike said her daughter let out a "horrifying scream," and was in so much pain she could not explain what had happened to her at first.

But she was taken to hospital immediately once her family had realised what happened.

Simi may now need skin-graft surgery to repair the damage to her feet.

Alex Adenaike explained that the family were "looking forward to having some fun" and had just arrived at the beach.

She said: "The children started playing almost immediately and had been running around in the sand. We heard a horrifying scream and my daughter came running back."

"We had some help from some other visitors on the beach to cool down the burn with water and we got her to hospital immediately."

"This is so upsetting and my daughter is now needing further treatment and possibly a skin graft."

BBQs and charcoal retain their heat for hours after they've been used. People may think that burying their hot coals in the sand would cool them, but it actually heats the sand instead.

This common misconception has led to a steep rise in "horrific" beach barbecue accidents in Swansea Bay according to health chiefs.

The council has also condemned the actions of those who carelessly left the disposable barbecue in the sand and are urging residents and holidaymakers to use the barbecue bins located along Swansea Bay beach and beyond.

They said there was a disposable BBQ bin located close to where the beachgoers left their barbecue.

Councillor Cyril Anderson said this is a "horrendous" incident.

"We wish Simi and her family all the best as she receives medical treatment." He added.

"The dangers associated with discarding or leaving disposable BBQs on our beaches are well known and that’s why we have gone to the trouble of installing fifteen bins at all of our beaches.

"Anyone who thinks that it's okay to bury BBQs or any other waste in the sand on a day out is simply irresponsible and thoughtless to the injuries they can cause to beach users."