mmg.com.au

Kate Barling (pictured) was lucky to escape serious injury after her hair caught fire during her 21st birthday celebrations on Saturday night.

Miss Barling was leaning over her birthday cake when a candle set her hair alight.

‘‘Mum put the candles on the cake and had spaced them out,’’ she said.

‘‘I was leaning over to blow out the candles at the back, not realising one at the front was still alight.

‘‘The whole left side of my hair went up in flames.

‘‘We think it was because of the hairspray in my hair.’’

Miss Barling said it took only ‘‘seconds’’ for her hair to burn, but said the flames were doused immediately.

A 21st tiara on the top of her hair is believed to have prevented the fire from doing more damage.

‘‘My hair is a bit singed, but I’m all right. It only burned up to where I had my hair tucked behind the tiara, so we think it may have stopped the fire.

‘‘I’m told the feathers on the tiara were also singed, but I didn’t get to see it myself.

‘‘Luckily my hair is layered so you can’t really tell what has happened, but I can’t straighten over that bit and I have to pin it back or it sticks out.’’

Miss Barling said the whole incident was caught on video and was over in a matter of seconds.

‘‘You can hear people screaming, but it was all very quick.’’