A FANCY dress night out to watch England in the World Cup ended in horror when a man wearing a tutu was set on fire.

Police said the man had been wearing the costume as he watched the England v USA match at the Swan pub, in Bacup.

But when he went outside to call a taxi someone approached him and lit it.

Police believe that the attack may have started out as a 'prank' which went badly wrong.

The victim, understood to be a painter and decorator from the Bacup area, suffered second-degree burns to a large part of his back and his left hand, as he tried to extinguish the flames.

A Lancashire Police spokesman said: “The victim had been drinking in the Swan with his partner and two friends and watching the England vs USA game on Saturday.

"The men’s partners were wearing red and white tutus. Later the victim had put on one of the tutus and went outside to a smoking area to call for a taxi.

"The person responsible for the incident has then approached him and has set fire to the tutu."

An ambulance was called and the man was initially taken to Rochdale Infirmary for treatment.

He was later transferred to Wythenshawe Hospital in south Manchester, which has a specialist burns unit.

David Sant, landlord of the Swan, said: “It’s a real unfortunate situation and I understand he is in a bad way and still in hospital.

“I took over the pub four weeks ago so it’s a shock to be honest.

“I have installed CCTV in the pub following the incident and I am cooperating with police as best I can to help them find answers.

“I am fully supporting any clamp down on behaviour like this if it was something intentional.”

Second-degree burns often take three weeks to heal and sometimes require a skin graft.

Police are in the process of interviewing witnesses to the incident but no-one has been arrested.

Anyone with information should call police on 01282 425001.