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A teen boy has been airlifted to hospital after he accidentally set himself alight with petrol in a field in Darlington.

Police, paramedics and an air ambulance were called to the incident near the White Horse Pub in Harrowgate Hill on Monday.

Durham Constabulary said the boy, 15, is believed to have been using petrol when it was accidentally set alight.

The force has described the incident as a "tragic accident" after the teen was rushed to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle for treatment.

A police statement said: “Police were called just after 5.05pm yesterday (August 3) following reports that a teenage boy had suffered burns in Darlington.

"The incident is thought to have happened in a field near the White Horse Pub, in Harrowgate Hill.

"A 15-year-old boy is believed to have been using petrol when it was accidentally set alight.

"He was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary, in Newcastle, for treatment where he remains today in a stable condition.

"The incident is thought to have been a tragic accident and is not currently being treated as criminal."

Emergency service vehicles were seen parked outside White Horse Pub on Monday evening as crews attended the incident.

The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) said the boy suffered burns to his lower body.

They said: "We were called just after 4.50pm today (August 3) to assist a patient suffering from burns to their lower body.

"We dispatched an ambulance crew and the air ambulance who treated one patient before airlifting to hospital."

The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) said their critical care team was activated at 5.04pm.

A spokesperson said: "We had a paramedic and doctor on board our aircraft and they arrived on scene at 5.11pm.

"Our team worked alongside the North East Ambulance Service to assess and treat a patient and airlifted them to hospital."

County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS) did not attend the incident.