A man was recovering in hospital today after he accidentally set himself on fire when he doused a burning bonfire in petrol.

The 54-year-old man was engulfed in flames as he set fire to a pile of rubbish in his back garden in Stoney Lane, Eccleshill, Bradford.

As he poured the petrol on to the smouldering fire a trail of flames set fire to the petrol can before spreading to his clothing.

Firefighters said he told them he thought he was going to die after the terrifying ordeal.

A fire crew from Idle station was on the scene within minutes, but the man, who has not been named, had managed to put out the fire as it started to burn his skin through his tee-shirt and trousers.

He was suffering from shock and burns, and the firefighters wrapped him in a special cooling blanket and gave him oxygen before paramedics arrived.

He was then taken to hospital following the incident which happened shortly after 6am yesterday.

Pete Robb, watch manager at Idle fire station, said: "This gentleman had decided to burn some rubbish in his garden and, to get it going, he decided to pour petrol on it. The rubbish caught fire but so did the gentleman.

"He managed to ring the ambulance service and also rang us. He had a tee-shirt on and that had been burned off. He had burns on his legs and hands. They were not major but they were very painful.

"He said he thought he was going to die. He was covered in flames from head to toe. He was in shock and said he had realised what an idiot he had been."