RESTAURANT staff have told how they rushed to the aid of a pensioner who became engulfed in flames when her dress caught alight.

Workers at Revolutions in New Road, Chippenham, have been praised by police officers and paramedics for helping the woman, who was left with 80 per cent burns.

Waitress Sarah Heath and chef Patrick Hill stepped in when the elderly woman, who was smoking outside the restaurant on Saturday lunchtime, came in for help when her handbag caught alight. Before the staff could intervene the flames spread to her dress.

Miss Heath, 20, who has been working at the restaurant for more than two years, said: “I saw her first, I didn’t know what I said or did I just made people aware there was something going on.

“She came in, I was facing away to the dishwasher and just heard this little voice asking for water, I turned round and saw she was fully in flames.”

Mr Hill, 34, has been working at Revolutions for nearly 13 years and was at the other end of the kitchen when the alarm was raised.

He said: “I had a tea towel over my shoulder I threw it on to her but that was not going to put her out so I shouted to throw water over her. Seconds later Sarah threw water over her so we did get her out very quickly.

“When you say she was on fire, she was actually a fireball. As soon as I knew the fire was not going out I shouted and seconds later buckets went over her, she was an inferno.”

The pair poured buckets of water over the victim and phoned 999, following their instructions, until an ambulance could arrive.

Paramedics say that the quick thinking and good work of staff helped save the lady, who has been a regular customer at the restaurant for many years, from further harm.

Mr Hill added that it was fortunate the victim had come into the bar area where there was plenty of water, including a sink, available to help her.

The lady was taken by road ambulance to hospital and later airlifted from Southmead Hospital to Swansea Burns Unit.

Miss Heath, a former pupil at Hardenhuish School, added: “It sounds like a cliché but when something like that happens logic leaves and your actions take over, you just get it done. Luckily she was calm which made things a lot easier, she was very chatty.”

Revolutions owner Sandie Webb said it appeared that something in the lady’s handbag caught fire and a spark caught her dress which went up in seconds.

She said: “The breeze caught a spark which caught her dress, it went up in seconds, it was pretty dangerous.

“Our waitress and chef, they are only young, but they had the forethought to act and sat with her for 20 minutes.

“I am really proud of them, they coped so well, it’s not something you can be trained for its instinct and they showed amazing instincts.”