Mum issues hot drink warning after son scalded at National Trust property

Noah spent part of Christmas in hospital after a hot drink spilled on him while visiting a Christmas light trail in Lincolnshire

A six-year-old boy suffered serious burns after a hot drink was accidentally spilled on him during a festive outing, his mother said.

Kirsty and husband Sam had taken Noah and his three siblings to a light show at Belton House in Lincolnshire on 16 December.

Another visitor was believed to have spilled mulled wine or cider from a cup without a lid, leaving Noah screaming.

National Trust, which manages the site, told the BBC it was investigating.

Warning: Distressing images of burn injuries are contained below

Kirsty, whose family had travelled to the Grade I listed property near Grantham from their home in Peterborough, claimed "boiling hot" drinks were being sold without lids.

She hoped that sharing her family's ordeal would serve as a warning and prevent a reoccurrence.

"Accidents happen but the damage might have been much more limited had the cup had a lid," she said.

"We want to warn people to always ask for a lid when they buy hot drinks."

Noah is due a skin graft operation on Thursday

Describing Noah's ordeal, Kirsty said: "Suddenly, Noah started making the most horrific noise. He was clawing at his neck in pain.

"We didn't see it happen, but a man approached my husband and said he had bumped into Noah. He didn't disclose he had spilt a drink."

Kirsty said their son's neck was "blistering and turning red", so helped him to take off his coat and jumper, as staff from the drinks kiosk gave the family a five-litre bottle of water to pour on to the burns.

A first-aider arrived and an ambulance was called, which took Noah, accompanied by his warehouse supervisor father, to a specialised burns unit in Nottingham.

Kirsty said: "Even after what had just happened, I was surprised to be handed a hot drink that also did not have a lid on.

"It was so hot that I couldn't drink it at first."

'Stressful' Christmas

Since the incident, the family have made several trips to both their local hospital and Nottingham - a 130-mile round trip.

Noah has also endured overnight stays when his wounds became infected over the Christmas period, Kirsty said.

Doctors told his family he had suffered 5% burns to his body, including his neck, upper chest and right shoulder.

Noah is due to undergo a skin graft operation on Thursday.

"The surgeons are intending to take some skin from his thigh and graft it on to his shoulder and upper back," said his mother.

A National Trust spokesperson said: "The safety and well-being of all our visitors is really important to us. We're taking this incident very seriously and we're working with event managers Raymond Gubbay Ltd to investigate what happened. Our thoughts are with the family involved."

Noah was able to spend Christmas Day at home with his parents, brothers and sister.

Kirsty said: "It's not been a good Christmas. It's been stressful. It's been emotional. It's been a constant back and forth to hospital."