A young Tenby woman is in hospital with serious burns after a charging electronic cigarette ‘exploded’ and set fire to the bedroom.

Lucy May, 22, was fast asleep in the early hours of this morning (Tuesday) at a property in Lamack Vale when she woke to find 4ft flames spreading across the room.

Her twin sister Leila was awoken by Lucy waking up and screaming ‘fire, fire’.

Leila told the Western Telegraph: “This has been traumatic for us all. It was very, very scary. We were all in bed, including my four-year-old son and eight month-old baby.

“Lucy had just woken up and there were flames all around her and at the foot of the bed.”

Leila and the children evacuated the house and called 999 and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, along with police and ambulance crews were quickly at the scene.

Lucy was taken to Morriston Hospital, Swansea and down to theatre for treatment.

“She has burns all over hands and legs, the bottom of her abdomen and is likely to be in hospital for about a week,” said Leila.

“She had melted plastic all stuck to her legs.”

The cause of the fire is believed to be an electronic cigarette which had been charging using an Apple charger via the USB socket.

Leila said part of the electronic cigarette ‘exploded like a bullet’ and ignited material around Lucy’s handbag and suitcase,

Leila is now urging anyone with an electronic cigarette to check charging instructions carefully – particularly with regard to using USB chargers.

“With USBs you automatically assume them to be universal but you can’t be sure of the amount of power going through them," she said.

“It's been a horrible experience. Something so little, we never thought it could set alight.

"We do not want this to happen to anyone else.”