A MUM was left with severe burns after a Christmas decoration exploded in her hand.

Michelle Bunch was with her cousin Chloe Bunch, 15, at her home in Tabor Avenue when the teenager smelled burning.

She eventually realised it was coming from a tealight placed inside a ceramic Father Christmas.

After picking it up, it then exploded in Michelle’s hand, leaving her with nasty burns.

Chloe said: “I smelt burning for about an hour but no-one was listening to me, I thought it was just a cigarette.

“We blew out the other candles in the room the flame on this one kept getting bigger and bigger.

“When my cousin picked it up it just blew up in her hand and the flame hit the roof.

“I was stepping on the fire trying to get it out — I thought the house was going to burn down.

“I haven’t been sleeping well since it happened.”

The fire brigade was not called to the incident, on December 10.

The Bunch family bought the Christmas decoration last year when it was used without incident, but they cannot remember where it was from.

The decoration is designed to hold a tealight inside and had holes in to allow air to circulate.

Miss Bunch, 35, is mum to Bella, 18 months, Leo, five, Bonnie, six, Luke, 11, and Jodie, 15.

Michelle, of Buckwoods Road, Braintree, said: “I picked up the ceramic candle holder and it just exploded up in my hand, I was just going to take it outside.

“I was driven to Broomfield Hospital and have been back and forth so many times to the burn unit now.

“I’m getting there now, I’m starting to be able to move my fingers now but I couldn’t for days and it got infected the day after.

“I haven’t been able to do anything. The burn is on my right hand and I’m right-handed, my six-year-old is changing nappies. When I shower I have one hand wrapped in a plastic bag and I have to keep it out the way, I can’t even lift a kettle.”