A TEENAGE girl suffered 'substantial' burns after a gas cooker exploded while youngsters were camping in Carlton Colville.The horrifying incident on Saturday night saw police, firefighters and the ambulance service all called out after a tent caught fire.

A TEENAGE girl suffered 'substantial' burns after a gas cooker exploded while youngsters were camping in Carlton Colville.

The horrifying incident on Saturday night saw police, firefighters and the ambulance service all called out after a tent caught fire.

The blaze is believed to have started while the girl was camping in a field at the Rookery Park Golf Club, at Carlton Colville.

'Police were called just after 9.10pm to a fire at premises on Beccles Road,' a police spokesman said. It appears a gas cooker exploded resulting in burns to hands of a boy and substantial burns to a teenage girl.'

The blaze took hold of the tent and a crew from Normanshurst station spent 25 minutes tackling the fire. An ambulance took the girl, thought to be 15, to the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston.

A boy, also 15, who is also believed to have been in the tent, suffered an injury to his hand, which is not thought to have required hospital treatment.

'This is a nasty incident, which was all accidental,' the police spokesman added. 'The teenage girl has suffered substantial burns that are not thought to be life-threatening but it has affected the top part of her body and there is a suggestion that she may have to be transferred to the burns specialist unit near Chelmsford.'

Yesterday, officials from the Rookery Park Golf Club sent their best wishes to the girl and her family.

'We are now aware of this most unfortunate accident, which occurred on club lands to the rear of one of our properties near to the entrance of the club from Beccles Road,' said club secretary Richard Jones.

'While they were there without knowledge or permission of the club, our only concern is the welfare of the young girl who was burnt in the incident - our thoughts are with her and her parents. No club members or officials were involved during or directly after the incident for the sole reason that they were not aware of anything going on.

'There is therefore no reason for the club to take any action in this matter other than to wish the young girl a speedy recovery.'