Teens speak of fire stunt horror
Two teenage boys who suffered burns when a fire stunt went spectacularly wrong have spoken about their terrifying ordeal.
It was the first time 15-year-old boys Trent Forester and Shane Bentley, and a 16-year-old girl, had jumped through fire on bikes.
They were taking part in 55th birthday celebrations for the Findon Skid Kids, but it soon turned to horror as they lurched through the flaming cardboard, only to catch on fire themselves.
“When I came out on the other side of the fire it was just so hot, it was really hot, I just got on the ground, I knew I was on fire and wanted to get it put out,” said Shane.
Fellow victim Trent Forester described the pain as “excruciating”.
“I was told that you feel like you are on fire and it is really bad afterwards, so I just thought I was being a bit of a wimp,” Trent said.
Club members from the Findon Skid Kids used blankets to put out the flames, but the boys suffered second degree burns in the stunt gone-wrong.
The frame was set up using just the one piece of cardboard, instead of two sheets joined at the middle that break when hit by the riders.
The club says this isn’t the end of the famous fire run, but it will ensure yesterday’s accident is not repeated.
“It will be done again, but it will be done under very, very stringent rules and safety precautions,” said club president Allan Staunton.
