More and more teenagers are carrying out dangerous stunts in a bid to become social media superstars.

One of the latest horrifying challenges being attempted by fame-hungry teenagers is "The Fire Challenge" - which literally leads them to set themselves alight.

Youngsters attempting the craze film themselves pouring liquid onto themselves before setting themselves alight.

They then post the videos on social media in the hope of gaining more likes and more followers.

Hospital bosses have confirmed an increasing number of young people have been admitted with serious, and in some cases, life-threatening burns after attempting the social media stunt, Wales Online reports.

A back with second degree burn and blisters

Swansea's Morriston Hospital staff confirmed they have seen a recent rise in the number of teenagers who are being admitted to hospital with serious burns.

Jeremy Yarrow, a plastic surgeon at Morriston Hospital, Swansea said: "I can understand there is pressure on young people to gain acceptance or boost their online profiles by doing such risky things as these challenges.

"But from the patients I see, the results can be very different, with some requiring life support treatment and many left with lifelong scars."

Mr Yarrow added that, while most teenagers presenting with burns are treated as outpatients, some are hospitalised for a considerable length of time.

"In some severe and sometimes life-threatening cases, they are admitted to hospital for long periods of time for complex surgery resulting in long term mental and physical issues," he said.

Ana Biney, a staff nurse at Morriston Hospital's Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, said: “They copy them from social media and YouTube and call them YouTube Challenges.

"They film each other doing the challenges and then upload them in the hope they will become social media stars.

"We have definitely seen an increase in the number of teenagers who have suffered quite serious burns because of this."

Earlier this year parents were warned about a sick Whatsapp 'suicide' game called Momo, which used the work of a Japanese artist

"The Fire Challenge" isn't the first outrageous craze to have swept the internet , last year parents were warned of the "Eraser Challenge" in which youngsters would rub their skin with erasers until they bled

And earlier this year there was the sinister Momo Challenge which encouraged kids to commit suicide.

Burns Centre staff advise anyone affected with burns to:

  • Put the affected area under cool water for 20 minutes, as this takes the heat out of the injury
  • If clothing is on fire, the affected person should immediately drop to the floor and roll to put out the flames - don’t pat them out as this causes burns to the hands
  • Cover the burn with cling film – never cotton wool – which protects the burn but allows doctors or paramedics to look at it.
  • Call for help, which could be 999 or 111 or your GP

Ms Biney added: “Good first aid is essential. If you do it right, it can have a massive effect on the burn.

“But of course the best thing to do is not to take part in these stunts in the first place. They may look exciting and spectacular on social media but the reality is very different.

“They could be killed or scarred for life.”