Somerset mum rushes son to hospital with hogweed blisters

Somerset mum rushes son to hospital with hogweed blisters

A teenager was left in agony with horrific burns and blisters after he brushed past a dangerous Giant Hogweed plant at a beauty hotspot.

Amber Gault, 39, had to rush her son Max, 17, to hospital after he suffered agonising 'huge yellow filled liquid blisters' on his right leg, arm and forehead during a bike ride in Somerset.

A nurse lanced the worst of the yellow boils but Max was still in pain over the weekend and was unable to work.

Amber Gault (pictured), 39, had to rush her son Max, 17, to hospital after he suffered agonising blisters when he brushed against some hogweed

He had 'huge yellow filled liquid blisters' on his right leg (pictured left and right), arm and forehead. A nurse lanced the worst of the yellow boils but Max was still in pain over the weekend and was unable to work

The teen came into contact with a plant while on a mountain bike ride with a friend at the Ham Hill Country Park on Wednesday last week.

His mother, from Crewkerne, has spoken out to warn other parents about the Giant Hogweed after reading that there had been confirmed reports in the area.

GIANT HOGWEED: THE DANGERS 

If accidentally rubbed in the eyes, Giant Hogweed sap can cause temporary or even permanent blindness

Giant hogweed sap contains toxic chemicals known as photosensitising furanocoumarins, which react with light when in contact with human skin, causing blistering within 48 hours.

Effectively the toxic sap prevents the skin from protecting itself from sunlight, which can lead to very bad sunburn and scarring.

If accidentally rubbed in the eyes, the sap can cause temporary or even permanent blindness.

Anyone who comes in contact with the weed is advised to cover up the affected area, to prevent the sap reacting with sunlight, and to wash it with soap and water. 

She said: 'Max went mountain bik ing up at Ham Hill on Wednesday evening last week with a couple of friends.

'He complained his leg seemed a bit sore when he got home and then by Friday I had to take him to the minor injuries unit in Crewkerne as his right leg, arm and forehead had come out into huge yellow liquid filled blisters.

'Max knows what plants to look out for and wasn't aware that he had touched any but he must have accidentally brushed past some while cycling.

'I think last year there were signs up at Ham Hill warning about these plants but I really think people need to be made more aware about how much skin damage these plants can cause.

'Hopefully he's now on the mend and will be back to work later in the week.'

Ms Gault suspects that if Max wasn't injured by Giant Hogweed it might have been another poisonous plant, like wild or cow parsnip .

Ham Hill Country Park warned the public in August, 2016 about the dangers of the wild parsnip plant.

The post on August 19 last year said: 'Wild parsnip can cause blisters as the plant's sap reacts with sunlight causing phytophotodermatitis.

'Usually, only an occasional plant, we put up posters every year to warn people about the plant's dangers but this year parsnip seems to have grown in abundance.

'Three volunteer days, 54 mule loads and about 3 tonnes later, the volunteers have worked wonders in the hot weather to reduce the impact of this plant on our site and make your visit a happy one.'

The countryside manager for South Somerset District Council was able to confirm there is no Giant Hogweed at Ham Hill but there is hogweed.

Giant hogweed sap contains toxic chemicals, which react with light when in contact with human skin, causing blistering

A spokesman for the council added: 'Both these plants share the Genus Heracleum; the difference is that only hogweed is native to the UK and a feature of native habitats.

'Giant hogweed is classified as an invasive non-native species and is notifiable.

'Hogweed is common across all our South Somerset countryside sites and along verges, field margins and footpaths.

'Its sap can cause the same phytophotodermatitus, but nothing like to the same extent as giant hogweed.

'At Ham Hill we have warning signs about plants like hogweed for visitors, and we post information on social media. 

Wild parsnip is still in place at Ham Hill but the c ouncil is planning to tackle it.

A spokesman for the council said: 'We can confirm that we do still have significant wild parsnip on Ham Hill despite the efforts of the Rangers and volunteers last year.

'Wild parsnip thrives in the free draining slightly limey soils on Ham Hill. 

'Cutting it would only cause it to grow back more vigorously, spraying it with a herbicide is not ideal in such a high footfall area on a nature conservation site.

'Therefore we will again pull the plant from high footfall areas.' 

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