A WOMAN suffered severe burns to her head and face after a cigarette she was smoking set her hair on fire.

Fire crews from Bury were called to Ormrod Street, Bury, at 11am on Saturday after the injured woman raised the alarm herself. The 58-year-old was given first aid at the scene and taken to Fairfield General Hospital. She was later transfered to Wythenshaw Hospital's burns unit for further treatment.

It is believed the victim had washed her hair with an alcohol-based medicated hair solution before lighting up a cigarette causing her hair to burst into flames. She managed to pat out the flames before calling for help.

Watch Commander Alan Topping from Bury fire service said: "It seems as if a cigarette the woman was smoking caught the hair product. Her hair was torched and she suffered facial burns. We applied bandages before she was taken to hospital."

Firefighters are now warning people who have been applying certain types of hair products to avoid smoking cigarettes.

Mr Topping added: "People should carefully check lables of products to ensure they are not putting themselves at risk. When hair products state on the label they are flammable, then do not smoke straight after applying them. That warning is there for a reason."