A 30-year-old Norwich woman suffered serious burns after a firework set her clothes alight on Halloween, ambulance bosses have revealed, as they urged people to attend organised displays.

The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust said the woman suffered the burns after an incident in Harmer Road, Catton Grove on Saturday.

Ambulance bosses were called to the street just before 9.20pm. A spokesman for the service said: 'It's not clear if the firework had gone off or if she had been hit by it, but it set her clothing alight. She suffered quite serious burns, to 18pc of her body.'

An ambulance crew attended the scene and the woman, who the spokesman said was conscious and breathing, was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital by ambulance.

The service recommended that people should attend professionally organised displays, but if people are planning to have their own events, they offered the following tips:

• Keep fireworks in a closed box and use them one at a time

• Read and follow the instructions on each firework, using a torch and not a naked flame to read them

• Keep naked flames, including cigarettes, away from fireworks

• Never return to a firework once it has been lit

• Don't put fireworks in pockets and never throw them

• Direct any rocket fireworks well away from spectators

• Never use paraffin, petrol or any accelerant on a bonfire to get it going

• Always supervise children when using sparklers

The ambulance service also offered tips for treating burns:

• Stop the burning process as soon as possible. This may mean removing the person from the area, dousing flames with water or smothering flames with a blanket. Do not put yourself at risk of getting burnt as well – your safety is the first rule of first aid

• Remove any clothing or jewellery near the burnt area of skin but don't try to remove anything that is stuck to the burnt skin because this could cause more damage.

• Cool the burn with cool or lukewarm water for 10 to 30 minutes, ideally within 20 minutes of the injury occurring. Never use ice, iced water or any creams or greasy substances such as butter.

• Keep yourself or the person warm. Use a blanket or layers of clothing, but avoid putting them on the injured area. Keeping warm will prevent hypothermia. This is a risk if you are cooling a large burnt area, particularly in young children and elderly people.

• Cover the burn with cling film. Put the cling film in a layer over the burn, rather than wrapping it around a limb. A clean clear plastic bag can be used for burns on your hand.

• Treat the pain from a burn with paracetamol

• If you are concerned seek medical advice by calling 111 or in emergencies call 999.