Terrifying footage shows mum trapped inside burning car after accidentally pouring petrol into the air filter

This is the horrifying moment a woman was trapped inside her car after it turned into a raging fireball when she poured petrol into the wrong cap.

Julie Nicklin, 54, had mistakenly poured fuel into her Smart car’s interior through a detachable cap on the other side of the car – not the one containing its fuel tank.

Mum-of-two Julie, who was too embarrassed by the gaffe to be photographed, ignited the fuel as she turned the ignition key.

The 2005 Fortwo Pulse instantly exploded and trapped Julie inside, while it caused other motorists on the forecourt of the Asda petrol station to run for cover.

But she had a lucky escape as she was pulled out of the car by a fellow motorist who raced across the forecourt to get to her.

Builder Brian Turner, 54, was behind Julie on the forecourt in Lancaster, Lancs., on Friday at 8.15am when he heard a loud bang.

Hero Brian ran straight over to the car and opened the door to get to the terrified woman – at which point flames jumped out of the car and singed all his arm hair.

With flames “everywhere” around him, Brian reached into the car and dragged Julie out – who was parked right up against the fuel pump.

He said: “All you could see inside the car was flames – it felt like it lasted forever but it was literally seconds.

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“As soon as I opened the door it went bang again and burned my arms, hands and neck.

“She is only a small lady and had the seat right up against the steering wheel so I had to drag her out.”

Grandfather-of-six Brian managed to get teaching assistant Julie to safety about 60 feet away went to check on a work colleague back on the forecourt.

The pair were then taken to the superstore by staff to be checked over – but miraculously Julie was unharmed.

Brian believes what saved her was the fact that the large puffer-style jacket she was wearing did not catch fire.

Julie, of Lancaster, who admitted Brian had saved her life, said: “Brian needs to be recognised for what he did.

“Everyone else had run away and I couldn’t get out of the car – he saved my life.”

She added: “It was the most awful thing that has ever happened – but I’m just so embarrassed.

“There is another cap on the other side of the car which looks just like a petrol cap – something didn’t feel right as was using it.”

Fire crews manage to isolate the fuel supply at the petrol pump while police and ambulance teams were also in attendance as a precaution.

The road into the supermarket was closed and paramedics treated motorists for smoke inhalation.