A MAN who was set on fire by three youths as he sat on a park bench was saved from serious injury thanks to a dog walker passing by.
The three teenagers – aged between 13 and 15 – used a lighter to ignite the man's shirt and then filmed him on their mobile phone as flames spread.
The victim, who was under the influence of alcohol, had been sitting alone with his head in his hands when the incident occurred at about 8.20pm on Tuesday in Grant Thorold Park, Grimsby.
He suffered only minor injuries thanks to the intervention of dog walker Wendy Watson, 30, who was horrified at witnessing the boys first taunting him and then setting him alight.
She said: "I first saw the youths nudging the man. They were shouting at him. The man was drunk; he was out of it.
"The youths had seen me in the park and initially pretended to be concerned for the man's welfare.
"They were calling to him 'You all right, mate?' When I went out of sight behind a bush, they began pushing him and shouting 'wakey, wakey.'
"They knew he was drunk. I thought they were going to rob him.
"But when he didn't respond, they got out a lighter and set his shirt on fire.
"I screamed for people to help but no one came, even though there were three or four people in the park."
Wendy – who had been walking her pet boxer dog, Bruno, when she came across the incident – said the youths fled in the direction of Eleanor Street.
One young woman driving past saw the drama and pulled over to join Wendy as they tried to put out the burning clothes.
"I believe if it wasn't for us he would have burned to death," Wendy added. "I was upset that no one seemed bothered."
The mother-of-three said she had not slept since the attack.
Humberside Police said the victim, an unnamed 41-year-old, suffered minor burns to his back.
Appealing for witnesses to come forward, a force spokeswoman said: "An altercation is believed to have taken place between the man and the three teenagers, which then resulted in the man's clothing being set alight.
"The man was taken to hospital and treated for very minor burns to his back. He was later released."
The teenagers were described as aged between 13 years and 15 years old. One of them wore a grey top, another a maroon top and the third a blue top.
The ward councillor for East Marsh, Councillor Steve Beasant, said: "I hope that anyone who saw this incident will come forward.
"I am appalled that anyone would do such a thing. Even if they were worse for wear because of drink and should not have been in the park, two wrongs don't make a right.
"They were risking someone's life. Someone needs to learn a lesson from this."
A Stanley Street resident, who did not wish to be named, added: "I cannot believe something like that happened. It's disgusting and so near to my home.
"The thought of people filming it too is unbelievable. The things people do for a laugh is sickening."
Witnesses are asked to call Humberside Police on 101, quoting log 705 of September 3.Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
