Teenager who suffered appalling burns joins candle-danger campaign

When she was just six months old, Dorah Mokoena, now 16, lost her nose, eyelids, and bone in her forehead in a fire started by a candle in a squatter camp in South Africa.

During attempts to repair her burns, her hands and most of the rest of her body were damaged.

Following appeals from the South African-based charity Fire Children, she was flown to the UK in 1998 for surgery.

Now living in Johannesburg, the same charity arranged for Dorah to return to the UK ahead of the Christmas safety campaign being launched by fire officers in London today.

With 1,300 home fires a year caused by candles in the UK, the "so beautiful, so lethal" campaign is aimed at highlighting the dangers of lighting candles at home.

In 2008, 18 people died in fires caused by candles, national statistics indicate. After cigarette lighters, they are the second highest cause of fire injuries in the UK, London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson said.

"Dorah is an extremely courageous young woman and it is an absolute tragedy that she was so seriously injured by fire," he said. "I am so pleased she is helping us to highlight the fire dangers posed by candles."

Candles should never be left unattended, even for a moment, nor should they be left too close to items like Christmas trees, curtains or clothing.