Builder Dave Johnson said he was rushed to hospital after the e-cigarette battery 'shorted' on his keys on September 25.

The workman claimed he heard a fizzing sound while carrying a paving stone at a customer's house in West Yorkshire moments before the vape exploded, setting his shorts on fire.

Johnson said he was rushed to Airedale Hospital in Steeton after the horrific incident. The giant patch of raw skin then became infected and he was hospitalised at Wythenshawe Hospital in Greater Manchester for six days.

He received IV antibiotics to tackle the infection but miraculously did not need either surgery or skin grafts. The father-of-two is now warning people that vape batteries can be dangerous.

Johnson said: “Thankfully I didn't need surgery on my leg. I used to smoke then moved to vaping to get away from smoking. I did it for my health, I was smoking 20 a day, it's like the better of two evils.

“I was carrying some stone paving flags out of my van. I'd taken a fully charged battery for the e-cig and it was in my pocket with my keys, I normally leave spare batteries in the van.

“It shorted on my keys in my pocket and exploded. I heard a fizzing sound, almost like when a firework rocket starts to go off, and then felt the pain. The pain in my right leg was excruciating, like if you put your hand in far too hot water. I knew straight away it had done damage.”