Pub blaze horror: Student in fancy-dress sheep costume turned into 'human torch' after he is set alight by drinker

By Daily Mail Reporter
Updated: 05:52 EST, 21 October 2009

A student was in hospital last night with serious burns after his fancy dress sheep costume made from cotton wool was set alight in a pub.

The19-year-old is in a stable condition after a man set fire to the home-made outfit at the Headingley Taps pub in Leeds.

Two friends of the student, aged 19 and 20, who were dressed in similar outfits, also suffered burns when the flames spread to their costumes.

Headingley Taps pub

Attack: A student dressed as a sheep was set on fire at the Headingley Taps pub in Leeds. His two similarly-attired friends were also injured

The 19-year-old was turned him into a 'human torch' as flames engulfed his entire upper body, according to witnesses .

Bar staff used fire extinguishers to put out the fires.

A witness, who asked not to be named, said: 'It was unbelievable how quickly it happened.

'The guys were dressed in what looked like tights and tight fitting costumes covered with big balls of cotton wool stuck on.

'The next thing one of them was rolling around on the floor in a ball of flames.

'It didn't look too bad at first but before they took him away his skin was beginning to blister. It looked bad where the tights had melted and stuck to his legs.'

West Yorkshire Police said two men, aged 33 and 38 and from Portsmouth, had been arrested in connection with the incident, which took place on Saturday.

The 33-year-old was later released without charge and the 38-year-old was released on police bail pending further inquiries.

It is believed the costumes were made from black tights and close-fitting tops with cotton wool balls attached, which began to melt when they were set alight by someone thought to have been on a stag-do.

The hospitalised victim was taken to Pinderfields Hospital, in Wakefield, while his 20-year-old friend was taken to Leeds General Infirmary for treatment to his burns and was discharged the next day.

The second 19-year-old also suffered burns but did not receive hospital treatment.

Two of the injured men are studying at the University of Leeds, while the third is believed to be a student elsewhere.

A police spokesman said: 'At about 5.40pm on Saturday police were contacted by the ambulance service about an incident at the Headingley Taps in Headingley, in which three men had received burns.

'The men were part of a group in fancy dress and had been dressed in home-made sheep costumes. The costume of one of the men had caught light and the flames had spread to the other two men.'

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