A SCREAMING toddler was airlifted to hospital after climbing through a baby gate and pouring hot tea on himself.
Rory Smith, 17 months, suffered massive burns to his face and chest during the horror at his home in Wigton, Cumbria.
His mum, Beth, has now hailed the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) as "invaluable" following the terrifying accident.
She said the horror unfolded in the kitchen of her and partner Rob Carruthers' home in January, when Rory managed to get through his baby gate.
Beth told GNAAS: “It started out like any other day, Rory’s dad Rob and I were in the kitchen chatting and having a cup of tea. We put our cups on the side as we were talking and then it all happened so fast.
“Rory had got through the baby gate and had stood on his tippy toes then reached up onto the side and grabbed one of the cups and poured it over his head and all over himself.
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“As soon as I looked at him, I knew it was bad. The burns were substantial and the skin across his face and chest was already starting to come away.
“I have never ever heard a scream like it from Rory and Rob was really panicking at this point.”
The mum said she raced to call emergency services – with the North West Ambulance Service quickly answering, keeping her calm and guiding her on what to do for her son.
Beth added: “They told us to prepare for the fact that Rory could potentially go unconscious from the pain or shock and told us to keep him in the shower with the cold water on him."
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She said paramedics arrived within five minutes, and instantly said the family needed GNAAS.
The helicopter zoomed to the couple's home and landed in a field out the back.
Beth bravely recalled: “The doctor and paramedic were so calm and made us feel completely at ease as I was so worried about judgement around what had happened.
“It was so traumatic, and Rory was still screaming and very distressed, but they settled him straight away with medication."
The tot was flown to Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle, where doctors swarmed him.
Beth said: "That is when the guilt really hit for me and I thought that this is a huge deal.
“The doctors were asking me what had happened, and it was just a lot to take in but they reassured me it happens more often than you would think.”
The family spent a week in hospital, before Rory was luckily allowed to head home.
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Beth added: “We feel so lucky that GNAAS were able to come and help us when we needed them, and we just can’t get over how amazing the team was with us that day.
“The service is absolutely invaluable.”
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