Toddler badly burnt by hot cup of tea

Photo / Thinkstock

A three-year-old boy is being treated for burns to half of his body after falling over a cat on to his grandmother as she held a hot cup of tea yesterday.

The boy had been taken to Tauranga Hospital for treatment for moderate burns to the right side of his chest, arm and leg, after the accident which happened about 10.30am, in Maketu, east of Tauranga, The Bay of Plenty Times reported.

Maketu Volunteer Fire Brigade chief Shane Beech said it was a "freak accident" and it was unclear how the cat had caused the boy to fall into his grandmother, who was holding the tea.

- NZPA