A DAD-OF-TWO from Rudheath has described being 'engulfed' in flames when he e-cig battery exploded in his face as he slept.

Kevin Woodward, of Shurlach Road, is urging other e-cig users to be safe after his ordeal, which left him with horrific burns on his face, head and arms.

The 30-year-old said: "It engulfed me in flames, powerful flames, I was that scared, I was on fire.

"It was just blasting at me.

"I was trying to figure out what was going on, how to get rid of it and how to put it out.

"I felt the pain pretty much straight away really but I didn't think there was as much damage at first as there was.

"I didn't think something that small could do that much damage."

Kevin, who works at Northwich Metals, in Marston, lives with his fiancee Jenny and their children Taylor James, three, and Alexia Jordan, two.

On the night of the incident, which happened in the early hours of Wednesday, January 13, Taylor James had been cuddled up in bed with his dad until 2.30am when the three-year-old fortunately changed beds.

It was at this time that Kevin plugged his Eleaf iStick in to charge ready for when he got up for work at 5am, but the battery exploded at 4.20am.

He managed to beat out the flames using a pillow and has been treated in the specialist burns unit at Whiston Hospital, in Merseyside.

He added that he is doing well and, as the Guardian went to press yesterday, Tuesday, he was hoping to be discharged.

He started using an e-cig 12 months ago to help him give up smoking and said that although he would not call for e-cigs to be banned, he will never use one again.

"I'm definitely not saying 'ban them' because they've done people a lot of good – they did me good and stopped me smoking," he said.

"People just need to be very safe with them and always be present when charging them.

"I want people to be aware of the damage they can do – a phone can do the same but you never think it will happen to you.

"I'm never going to use an e-cig again, that's it now, I'm done."

A spokesman for UK Vapour Brands Ltd, the official UK importer for all Eleaf branded e-cigarette products, said: "We have been made aware of a disturbing incident in which a person suffered severe burns due to a fire caused by an electronic cigarette power unit.

"Our first knowledge of the incident was from a national newspaper article published on Sunday, January 17, which was published before we had any opportunity to comment.

"We have received no contact from Kevin Woodward that we are aware of.

"While our business has great sympathy for the pain and distress caused by the incident, we do not believe that the device concerned was supplied through any official Eleaf supply chain, and as such can have no confidence that the device was of genuine Eleaf manufacture.

"We are aware of a proliferation of counterfeit Eleaf product in the UK, and have been working closely with Trading Standards agencies across the UK to identify counterfeit iSticks.

"We stress that we can only take responsibility for products that have been supplied through the recognised Eleaf supply chain for the UK, which is that of our businesses."