ARCHIE’S STORY
Four-year-old Archie Cowley was seriously burned when his T-shirt caught fire in an accident in his garden.
The flames engulfed his stomach, sides and even fingertips as they spread in seconds.
Only the quick action of dad, Wayne, saved the youngster.
Archie was burned while out playing in the village of Contin, near Dingwall.
He was out of his dad’s sight for just seconds when his top caught light in June.
His mum Lisa, 31, reveals that surgeons were shocked to see how deep the injuries extended into his body.
“Archie was burned mainly on his stomach, but also on his side and fingertips.
“At at first the doctors could not say how bad or how deep the burns were until he was taken into the operating theatre for the first time.
“That surgery took around two hours.
“Another lasted six hours and the third was where they carried out skin grafts from his legs to his belly was major.
“The surgeons had to repair the part of his stomach which was burnt away.
“Doctors said Archie was a little fighter as he did so well to recover.
“It’s upsetting looking back on that time and we are so glad he came through it all.
“We owe so much to the nurses, ambulance people and everyone who helped us get through this.
“Family, friends and everyone in our village have all been so kind.
“I just hope the way they make children’s clothes will change.
“If it is polyester – Archie had a synthetic motif in his T-shirt – then they have to be made of safer material.
“It’s vital to ensure no one suffers serious burns like Archie.”
The brave youngster is now thriving but still wears a pressure garment to help his burns heal.
Lisa and Wayne were shocked at how quickly Archie’s top caught light.
They burned some clothes in their garden safely, to see how quickly flames spread in children’s garments.
Lisa said: “They went up like torches. This happened to bargain chain store tops and expensive clothes, too.
It’s vital to ensure that no one suffers serious burns like my little boy