A TEENAGER is fighting for a beauty queen title from her hospital bed after a freak accident left her with burns over 25 percent of her body.

Lucy Morgan was badly hurt in the accident on March 9, but has decided to continue her campaign for the Miss Leeds title despite painful burns all over her body.

Eighteen year old Lucy was at a party with friends when a can of flammable liquid exploded as she and a group of friends sat round a bonfire, injuring her and two friends.

She said: “I just threw myself on the ground and rolled around. I was screaming 'Call an ambulance' and 'Get some water'.

"My legs were burning and friends tried to pull off my tights. If they had, my skin would have gone with them.”

Lucy, from Harrogate, was taken to the regional burns unit at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield and has endured three skin grafts to help heal the burns on her legs, right arm and face.

But despite the painful and frightening ordeal Lucy has decided not to let the experience stand in her way, and is determined to continue with her bid for the Miss Leeds title.

“Some people think you should be flawless, but nobody’s perfect. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and you should be admired for your talent and your charity," Lucy said.

She had already entered the competition when the accident happened, and if Lucy, a former Miss Harrogate finalist, has promised to use her new-found fame to promote local charities as well as Pinderfields' specialist burns unit.

Lucy, a keen showjumper, still counts herself as lucky and even though memories of the explosion still give her sleepless nights she said she wants to use the experience as an inspiration.

She is desperate to return to showjumping and hopes to one day become a paramedic herself. She has thanked the medical staff who have cared for her.

Lucy said: “The doctors and nurses have been so friendly and professional – there’s never a day when they are grumpy, they even blow dried my hair when I couldn’t move my hands.”

She has won praise from the same medics for her sunny attitude. Nurse Colleen King said: “Lucy is an inspiration. She will have a go at anything and never says no. She is truly one of life’s triers.”