Warning: this article contains images that some readers may find distressing.
A woman who suffered horrific burns after the plastic on her hot water bottle 'melted' and the contents of it burst onto her skin has urged people to get rid of theirs.
Sophia Pauley explained that she was left screaming in agony after the scalding water suddenly seeped across her upper legs, inner thighs, 'under her bum' and on a section of her hand.
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The 29-year-old, who lives in Hackney, London, explained that she often reached for a hot water bottle to avoid putting the heating on - but now, she's vowed to never use one again.
She was left with serious burns, had difficulty walking and struggled to use the toilet for a week after horror struck on 19 November.
The Cardiff-native recalled how she had filled up her hot water bottle to get cosy in bed, only for it's contents to pour across her body seconds later.
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"I sat in bed and immediately thought I had left the lid off, because it was suddenly all over me," Sophia said. "I was screaming, there was so much, I could just feel it burn underneath me.
"I threw my pyjamas off and ran to the shower. My sister ended up filling the bath with cold water because the shower head couldn't cover the area."
How to treat this kind of burn?
After calling an ambulance, she was instructed to submerge herself in the cold water for 45 minutes before she later received treatment in A&E.
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The NHS advises that you should remove any clothing or jewellery from the affected area before cooling the burn with cool or lukewarm running water for up to 30 minutes.
You can then cover the damage with a layer of cling film to prevent infection before seeking further medical advice.
Sophia explained she was left sickened as doctors were forced to tweeze the 'flappy' skin, which the hot water had 'melted' from her thighs.
"I had never screamed in pain before in my life, it was an out-of-body experience," she said. "That was the most painful thing I've ever experienced.
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"I saw my skin melt, there was flapping skin on my leg, it was horrible, they had to tweeze it off, it was grim.
"It was a very painful week, I was very immobile for a while just because it was in such a sensitive area and going to the toilet was quite difficult."
The artist admitted that she had owned the hot water bottle for almost four years and 'should have binned it', which is a lesson she ended up learning the hard way.
Sophia's warning
That's why she wants to share her story, as many people in the UK rely on them in the cold months - and Sophia claimed medics told her that these kind of incidents are becoming increasingly common.
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"I've been using hot water bottles since I was a kid, I use them often in the winter just to get warm because my hands and feet always get cold," Sophia said.
"After this, I'll never ever use hot water bottles again. I have always known the danger but never heard of one splitting.
"I thought I had left the lid off but my sister told me the plastic had just melted and it poured all out."
She claimed that doctors told her 'lots of people' head to hospital with hot water bottle burns in winter, despite her initially presuming she had a 'freak accident'.
Sophia continued: "I was told they think there is cheaper manufacturing [of the bottles] and people are just not heating their houses enough.
"After going to the burns unit they said this is the case of the week, we had a 80% rise in the last few years, all from hot water bottle burns.
"Lots of kids coming in and parents not putting them [the burns] in cold water, or people not realising the burn is quite severe and leaving it and then it getting infected and causing lots of issues.
"Some burns that look quite insignificant can be caused from the hot water bottle not even spilling but burning on the skin.
"If anyone uses them, I would advise them to bin it."
Sophia warned people that hot water bottles just aren't worth the risk, but urged those who will continue to use them to at least ensure they are safe.
"Make sure to update them every single year and don't risk it," she added. "Don't fill it up with boiling water or top it up with cold water.
"I would avoid them at all costs. There's dangers even if it doesn't leak, it can still burn you on your skin.
"I want to get the word out. People really need to look at the expiry dates and think again before using them."
A month after the incident, Sophia's burns have almost healed but they still remain sensitive - and she has to avoid the sun for at least two years.
Olivia Burke