Little Boy battle for life after kettle of boiling water fell onto him

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES

A seven-year-old schoolboy could be left scarred for life after he was scalded on his face and head by boiling water. Owen Atkin suffered horrific burns and medics are unsure his hair will ever grow back fully following the terrifiying ordeal on Saturday night.

The youngster is recovering in the burns unit at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, and police and social services are now investigating. His father Paul said his Owen had been in someone else’s care in Southey Green, Sheffield, South Yorks., when it is believed he was scalded by the contents of a boiled kettle.

Owen Atkin who was scalded over his head and face. He is pictured recovering in hospital See Ross Parry story RPYBURNS; A young schoolboy who sustained horrific burns to his face and head after he was scalded by boiling water could be left scarred for LIFE. Brave Owen Atkin was left in agony after he was scalded with boiling water, with medics unsure whether his hair will ever grow back fully. The seven-year-old is now recovering in the burns unit Sheffield Children's Hospital after the horrifying ordeal on Saturday night (26 May). Owen's father Paul Atkin said his youngest son had been in someone else's care in Southey Green, Sheffield, South Yorks., when he suffered the burns.

The 36-year-old, who lives in Hoyland Common, Barnsley, with Owen and his elder brother Lewis, aged 10, and their stepmother Kirsty Vasey, said the youngster had been ‘astoundingly brave’. Paul said: ‘I rushed to hospital as soon I heard what had happened and I found Owen in absolutely excruciating pain.

‘His eyes were closed and he was shouting “please don’t let me die”. ‘It’s the worst possible feeling as a father to be sat there helpless, knowing there’s nothing you can do to take away the pain.’

Paul said Owen, who is a Sheffield Wednesday fan and loves penguins, had been ‘up and down’ during his time in the hospital, where he is expected to remain into next week. The burns cannot be covered with a bandage because they are in a sensitive area on Owen’s face, leaving it open to infection.

Paul said: ‘He’s normally fun, spirited and full of beans, but this has left him so upset and shocked and in such great distress. ‘One minute he’ll be walking around and dancing and the next the pain will really hit him and he’ll be throwing up.

‘He keeps having nightmares and flashbacks of what happened to him, we are just trying to keep his mind off of it.’ Owen, keen fan of planes, has received special messages from the Belgian Air Force F-16 solo display pilot Stephan ‘Vador’ Darte and the RAF Typhoon Display Team. Family friend Sarah Roper has launched a fundraising appeal to help send Owen on holiday to help him recover.

The appeal, which has already exceeded its £600 target, would ‘mean the world’ to the family.

Paul said: ‘I am flabbergasted with people’s generosity, I did not know about the page that Sarah had set up until recently. ‘I can’t thank her enough. ‘Owen’s been astoundingly brave. I don’t think I would be coping so well if it was me.

He deserves a treat after everything he’s been through,” ‘Just one night away at the seaside would mean the world to us.’ A South Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: ‘An investigation is currently ongoing into reports a seven-year-old boy had suffered serious burns following an incident at a property on Southey Green Road, Sheffield, on Sunday, May 27.’

You can donate at http://www.gofundme.com/support-for-hospital-costs.