German police hunt two 'witches' after teen boiled in cauldron

A young woman has been hospitalised after being burnt in a 'witch's cauldron' at a witchcraft festival in Eppingen, Germany. Photo / Getty

An 18-year-old woman suffered serious injuries after allegedly being dropped into a witch's cauldron of boiling water during a carnival in southwest Germany.

The teenager was badly scalded on her feet and calves after the incident in Eppingen, Baden Württemberg, over the weekend.

Police are looking for two people dressed in witches costumes who reportedly fled the scene.

The cauldron had been placed on a carnival cart which was being pulled along by several people dressed up in witch costumes.

The cauldron in which the teenager was placed was part of a procession through the town centre on February 4.

Local media reports that the girl's friends had 'handed her over' to two of the people dressed up as a joke, who carried her to the cart.

One of the 'witches' is said to have held the girl over the cauldron while another lifted the lid.

This was reportedly done to mimic the scene told in fairy tales and legends where witches would boil their victims alive.

It is not known how the teenager ended up with her feet in the cauldron, TheLocal.de reports.

Police said in a statement that the people involved in the carnival who dragged the cart with the cauldron simply continued the procession without caring for the victim.

She has been hospitalised and is expected to need to remain in specialist care for more than a week.

The organisation behind the carnival, Hexenzunft Eppingen - meaning 'Witchcraft Eppingen' - have been organising the annual event with hundreds of participants since 2003, according to The Local.