A TEENAGER suffered serious burns to his face and chest when a blazing object was hurled at him, setting his hair and clothes alight, police said yesterday.

The 17-year-old was still in hospital last night following the incident in Newcastle on Monday night.

He was walking home through the Quayside area after a night out with a boy and a girl, both aged 16, when the incident took place.

They reached the New Redheugh Bridge at about 11pm and saw smoke coming from bushes. They went to investigate and spoke to four or five youths. As they turned to go, the victim was hit by an object that set him alight.

While his friends put out the flames the other group, described as 17 to 18 year olds, ran off towards the Quayside area.

A police spokesman said: "At this stage it is unclear what was thrown at the teenager which caused him to catch alight."