North east teen spends four nights in hospital after brush with toxic plant

A North east mum has spoken out about the harrowing experience her son endured after coming into contact with a toxic plant, saying she "doesn't want anyone to go through what her son has".

Her 13 year old son, Michael Taylor, was hospitalised for four nights at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle and now faces a year of keeping his legs shielded from sunlight following an encounter with giant hogweed. This hazardous plant, typically spotted between June and August, is notorious as one of Britain's most dangerous plants due to its sap causing severe, blistering burns that can persist for months or even years.

Michael, who attends Walbottle Academy, in Newcastle, had to miss two weeks of school due to the incident, prompting his mother to raise awareness about the dangers of this phytotoxic plant. The trouble began on Monday, June 24, when Michael noticed a rash on his leg after playing outside.

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Initially unaware that the rash was caused by hogweed, his mother Fiona Scott treated it with anti-histamine tablets and antiseptic cream. But by the next day, painful blisters were forming every 20 minutes, reports Chronicle Live.

Fiona first took Michael to a walk-in centre but they were soon directed to A&E at the Royal Victoria Infirmary. By evening, he was admitted to the children's ward, and by Thursday, June 27, he was transferred to the Burns Unit.

In the hospital, Michael's legs were washed with cold water and he was given gas and air due to the intense pain. After two rounds of cleaning, a dressing containing honey was applied to his wounds.

Following this, Michael stayed in the hospital for an additional two days before being discharged with "really strong" antibiotics and clear instructions not to remove the dressings. He returned to the hospital on Wednesday, July 3, for wound cleaning and redressing, and only now are his injuries beginning to heal.

However, he has been advised to keep his legs away from sunlight for the next year as they will be extremely sensitive to heat and light. This has been a challenging experience for the teenager who usually enjoys cycling near his home in Lemington as well as Wylam and Prudhoe.

Speaking to ChroniclenLive, Fiona said: "It's been absolutely horrific. Obviously he can't go out, he can't socialise with his friends.mWe've had five days in hospital and he's been in a lot of pain. It's not nice for a young'un like him having to put up with that."

Michael has been kept awake at night and unable to shower due to the pain from the hogweed burns. However, he doesn't remember coming into contact with the plant, and both he and his mum were unaware of its poisonous nature prior to this incident.

Fiona added: "It's probably something we've all walked past and we've probably never got burned off it. If we'd known straight away that he'd touched it, we could have scrubbed it with cold water and Michael's injuries might not have been as bad. But the fact that the plant is out there, it's so scary, I would hate any child to go through what Michael's been through. It's so surreal, I can't believe it's happened, all his friends play out and I'm surprised it's never happened before."

What does giant hogweed look like?

Giant hogweed, an invasive species that 'escaped domestication' after being introduced to the UK from Central Asia in 1893 as an ornamental plant, is a relative of cow parsley and features large, white umbrella-like clusters of flowers.

The plant has a hollow, rigid stem speckled with purple spots and typically thrives in damp environments, such as riverbanks. It can reach heights ranging from 1.5m to five metres.

What should I do if I come into contact with giant hogweed?

The NHS advises that anyone who comes into contact with giant hogweed sap should immediately wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water. Medical advice should be sought, and the skin should not be exposed to sunlight for several days.

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