Girl, 6, suffers major burns in Home Bargains cafe as metal teapot falls on lap

A schoolgirl suffered burns to 7% of her body and needed a skin graft after a scalding metal teapot fell into her lap at a Home Bargains cafe.

Murphy Weatherston, six, had been enjoying a day out with her family but was then left in "agony" at the store in Cumbernauld Westway Retail Park, North Lanarkshire, during the incident on July 22. As the youngster attempted to grab a sachet of sauce from her grandma's tray, she accidentally knocked a pot of tea onto its side, causing it to bounce off her arm before falling directly onto her lap.

Murphy was rushed to Forth Valley Hospital before being transferred to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, where she was kept in for nearly three weeks and underwent a major skin graft. Meanwhile, a mum was left 'traumatised' after a dog walker pushes her in canal as she cycles to work.

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Recalling the frightening accident, her dad, John, 31, from Cumbernauld, told the Record: "She was in a really bad way. She'd been out with my wife, mother-in-law and our other two kids.

"As she went to grab a sachet of tomato sauce from a tray, the teapot was knocked over and it caused the tray to flip. The teapot bounced off her arm and fell directly onto her lap. It must have been agony for her because she was screaming in pain.

"Thankfully, two nurses had been eating lunch in the cafe and were able to give her top-class first aid before an ambulance arrived." Medics were forced to relocate skin from Murphy's outer thigh after she suffered a number of third-degree burns to her lower stomach, groin, inner thighs and foot.

The brave youngster was discharged on Friday but has to routinely return back to the hospital to have her bandages changed over. John said: "It has been a hell of a time for her.

"All in, she was put under about six times for the skin graft and to have her bandages changed over. She's been incredibly brave throughout and we're just glad to have her home now."

John claimed that the metal tea pot involved in the incident had no rubber safety stopper - which would have stopped its lid from easily flipping open. He now wants the see the "outdated" dining ware either banned from cafes or fitted with stoppers to prevent similar accidents from taking place again in the future.

An online fundraiser was set up to support Murphy's family on her journey to recovery. The dad-of-three added: "If there had been a stopper on the lid of the tea pot it would have avoided nearly three weeks of pain and anguish for Murphy.

"Don't get me wrong, if the pot landed on her, she still would have been slightly burned, but not to the extent where she needed a skin graft. Many retailers wouldn't dream of giving out hot drinks in one of these pots, they're incredibly outdated and unsafe.

"Ideally, I'd like to see them either banned from cafes or at least adapted with safety stoppers. I don't want any other family to go through this for the sake of a small safety change." Home Bargains has been approached for comment.