A teenager was airlifted to hospital with burns after accidentally setting himself alight with petrol in Darlington.
Police, paramedics and the air ambulance were called to a field near the White Horse Pub, in Harrowgate Hill, on Monday evening.
Officers said the boy, 15, is believed to have been using petrol when it was accidentally set alight.
Police described the incident as a "tragic accident" and confirmed he was taken to the RVI in Newcastle for treatment.
The full force statement reads: "Police were called just after 5.05pm yesterday (August 3) following reports that a teenage boy had suffered burns in Darlington.
"The incident is thought to have happened in a field near the White Horse Pub, in Harrowgate Hill.
"A 15-year-old boy is believed to have been using petrol when it was accidentally set alight.
"He was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary, in Newcastle, for treatment where he remains today in a stable condition.
"The incident is thought to have been a tragic accident and is not currently being treated as criminal."
Pictures from the scene show emergency service vehicles parked outside White Horse Pub on Monday evening.
The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) said the boy suffered burns to his lower body.
They said: "We were called just after 4.50pm today (August 3) to assist a patient suffering from burns to their lower body.
"We dispatched an ambulance crew and the air ambulance who treated one patient before airlifting to hospital."
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The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) said their critical care team was activated at 5.04pm.
A spokesperson said: "We had a paramedic and doctor on board our aircraft and they arrived on scene at 5.11pm.
"Our team worked alongside the North East Ambulance Service to assess and treat a patient and airlifted them to hospital."
County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS)did not attend.
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