Bonfire brothers learn a painful lesson

The teenagers, from Cooden Drive, were rushed to the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead having poured high octane fuel onto a small fire in the garden.

The flame ran up the stream of fuel into the canister and then blew back out and landed on the boys.

Sam, who is 18, suffered second degree burns to hand, arm and chest, while younger brother Mark, 16, had injuries to his hand and face.

Sam said: "We are both home now, a little bit itchy, a little bit sore, a little bit guilty."

"There was no practical reason for doing it. It was just boys messing about with fire."

He took responsibility for the incident: "We all get a million safety warnings but everybody does stuff they shouldn't do ... however eventually it catches up with you."

"I expect my parents will be getting annoyed with me soon ... that will probably happen as soon as the bandages come off."

They are both former pupils of St Richard's, and now attend Park College in Eastbourne.