THIS is the horrific picture which should act as a warning to every family in the run up to Bonfire Night.

Three teenagers ended up in hospital when the contents of a metal drum exploded over them after it was thrown onto a lit bonfire by a gang of youths.

James Foster, 15, Anthony Cooper, 13, and Jack Entwistle, 15, were swimming close to the bonfire and were injured after walking over to see what was going on.

Mothers Janet Foster, of Sunny Bower Road, Blackburn, and Deborah Cooper, 38, of Bank Hey Lane, Brownhill, Blackburn, were enraged when they learned the chemical container marked "inflammable" had been left on farmland where teenagers are known to play last Wednesday afternoon.

When it exploded the contents landed on them, leaving James and Anthony with serious burns and Jack with less serious injuries.

James and Jack, of Pleckgate Road, are being treated at Booth Hall Hospital Children's Burns Unit, Manchester, and Anthony, who is the most seriously injured, is at the Royal Preston Hospital burns unit.

The two mums say they will be seeking legal advice about claiming compensation for their son's injuries. Mrs Foster said: "This is a lesson for teenagers who play with dangerous objects but for our sons it was too high a price to pay, especially as they happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Parents must make sure their children are aware of the dangers of playing with inflammable objects."

"My son has suffered full thickness burns to both of his legs, and his doctors will soon decide if would need skin grafts.

She added: "They were just three normal youngsters who were playing at Rishton waterfalls, which is what they had been doing for much of the summer.

"The other lads started the fire and as James and his friends got out of the water, there was an explosion and their clothes were set on fire.

"Thank heavens they had the sense to jump back into the water. If they hadn't done that, who knows what their injuries would have been like."

"He'll be be in hospital for the next two weeks at least and I am sure his legs will be scared for life, though thank goodness he will not be crippled.

"I don't think the lad who threw the drum on to the fire did it maliciously, but his parents might have spoken to him about the dangers of such actions. It was a foolish thing to do.

Mrs Cooper said: "Janet had dropped the friends off in a car and it was a normal day out for them. We didn't think anything like this would happen.

"But what I want to know is why oh why was a substance marked flammable so freely available?

"Anthony is such a mess and he has so many bandages he looks like a mummy. He has been in terrible pain, though now is much more comfortable.

"We shall be eventually seeking compensation, but let's get them out of hospital first."

Fire chiefs today said the incident highlighted the need for people to ignore unofficial bonfires and attend organised displays such as the Witton Park display in Blackburn, the subject of a Lancashire Evening Telegraph Save the Bonfire Campaign.

Blackburn fire Station Commander Jim Owen had told us: "If people are going to attend a bonfire, we would prefer them to do it in a controlled environment, like that of Witton Park."

"The fire is always well marshalled and people are on hand should anything go wrong. The same protection is not immediately on hand for those attending smaller, unorganised fires."