Rex

A British family on holiday in Turkey were turned into "human fireballs" when a flambe went terribly wrong at a resort restaurant.

Tony and Kirsty Barr, who were on a trip to celebrate their seventh wedding anniversary, were both engulfed in flames when a bottle of flammable liquid held by their waiter exploded.

Their two-year-old daughter was in her pram as it was set alight, but was saved by her sister, Jessica, 15, who burnt herself in the process of getting little Rosie out.

The family had visited seaside restaurant La Luna in the resort of Marmaris for a celebratory dinner.

Kirsty told the Daily Record: "They took us upstairs and sat us on the balcony and we were excited to find out what the local speciality 'fish in salt' was.

"They wheeled out this table with huge fish underneath a pile of salt."

The waiter proceeded to pour alcohol on the dish from a squeezy bottle to create a "dancing flame".

Tony said: "A flame set the bottle of alcohol on fire and it burnt the waiter's hand. He then squeezed the bottle like a flamethrower over my family.

"Me and my wife were both completely on fire. I jumped over the balcony and headed for the sea."

Other tourists attempted to put the flames on the top half of Tony's body out with tea towels, while Kirsty was ablaze on her head, chest and arms.

She said: "I thought I was going to die. I ran way from the table screaming. I was completely engulfed. Someone put me out and then I thought, 'Oh, my God... my baby!'"

Baby Rosie was left with burned thighs but, according to Tony, Jessica saved her life.

The family were taken to a clinic, where medics refused to treat them because they had no travel insurance.<

They were eventually taken to hospital in an ambulance, and flew back to Blackburn after a few days.

According to the Mirror, Kirsty said: "It was like a bad dream. The restaurant should have paid our £3,500 hospital fees.

"I'm not angry at the person who did it – though he was a stupid, stupid man. I'm sure he feels terrible."

The couple are now considering court action after suggestions from La Luna that it was Tony's fault.

"They said I burnt my family by grabbing the bottle," he explained. "It's ridiculous."