A WOMAN was turned into a "human fireball" after her dress caught fire during a barbecue.
Horrified friends and family looked on as mum-of-two Hayley Hassard's dress was set alight by a canister which exploded.
Hayley, 45, was badly burned but saved from more serious injuries by her friend Angie Hall, who tackled her to the ground and rolled her until the flames were out.
She has been left with an injured back and legs and is warning others about the potential dangers of barbecues.
Hayley, of west Hull, said: "I saw the flames go up on the barbecue and remember thinking it was a bit bright and I moved Angie away.
"The next thing I knew I saw a white flash and someone said it was a cannister that had exploded.
"I saw my dress was on fire. I was screaming and turning around and trying to put it out.
"With that, it just lit up. It was only a thin summer dress.
"Someone shouted 'Hayley is on fire'."
With her sons Jack, 11, and Sam, eight, watching the horror unfold close by, Hayley said she was helpless to put the flames out.
"The next think I knew, Angie was on top of me," she said.
"She had rugby tackled me to the ground.
"She didn't think of herself. She just did it.
"It all happened within seconds
"I dread to think what would have happened if it wasn't for her quick actions.
"People were standing there frozen and she just went into action.
"My husband was running across the field. I think I would be in a specialist burns unit now, dealing with much more severe injuries, if it wasn't for her.
"I want to highlight to people to know what to do if something like this happens.
"Angie's quick actions are what saved me from much more serious injuries."
Hayley is having to have dressings to burns on her legs and back changed every two days and is unable to work or even sit properly while her injuries heal.
Angie, 53, of Kingswood, said instinct took over when she saw Hayley engulfed in flames.
"Hayley told me to move forward as the flames were high on the barbecue," she said.
"The next thing I knew, there was an explosion and everyone screamed and ran.
"All I heard was someone shout 'Hayley is on fire'.
"Hayley was spinning around trying to get it out.
"Instinct kicked in, I pushed her over and started rolling her.
"Everyone has said she was like a fireball.
"It was a gut reaction for me, I just wanted to get there and knock her over."
Hayley had been enjoying watching Sam play cricket at a sports field in Willerby when it happened.
Her dad, Terry Gosnell, who was also there, said: "There were quite a few people there.
"If it had not been for Angie, her burns would have been dreadful.
"I can't bear to think about it.
"She raced over and rugby tackled her to the floor and rolled her 20 or 30 yards.
"Hayley's burns would have been far more serious. Instead of her back and tops of her legs, we would have been looking at her whole body.
"We are so grateful."
Hayley now faces several weeks off work as she recovers and is considering claiming compensation.
Becci Snow, who is handling the case at Neil Hudgell's, said: "Clearly, Mrs Hassard and her family have suffered considerably as a result of this incident."
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