Britons injured in Tenerife hotel explosion

A British woman and her eight-year-old daughter have been injured in an explosion at a hotel on the Spanish holiday island of Tenerife, sources said.

The woman was taken to hospital with severe burns to her face and scalp following the blast in the Bahia Principe hotel in Playa Paraiso on the south-west coast of the island on Friday afternoon.

Her daughter suffered less serious neck burns and both are believed to be receiving ongoing treatment in separate hospitals.

Local authorities claimed that a British man had also suffered minor abrasions in the blast, although this was denied by a hotel spokesman.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We are aware of an incident involving two British nationals and are providing consular assistance.

"We are currently checking, but based on what we know so far there was no British man injured in the explosion."

A spokesman for the Bahia Principe claimed that the British woman's husband and a second daughter had avoided injury but were "obviously in shock" at what had happened.

"This was an accident and we still are not sure what went wrong - we are awaiting the investigation of the judicial police," he said.

"The explosion took place in a metal buffet container by the pool which uses a flammable gel to keep food warm.

"The swimming pool is now open again and the hotel is back to normal.

"We would like to wish those who were injured a speedy recovery."

Two more women - a 38-year-old Belgian woman and a 34-year-old Spaniard - were also treated for minor burns in hospital.