Girl, 6, dies at fire eating show

Eden's body is being flown back to Britain

A six-year-old girl died after being burnt during a fire-eating display while on holiday at a Turkish hotel.

Eden Galvani-Skeete, thought to be from Ilford, east London, was hurt watching the show at the Gemini Resort in Didim.

The father of another child injured in the show said fireballs flew into the audience when entertainers created a "wall of flame" on the dance floor.

Eden was taken to hospital on Saturday but died later. Six other Britons, including three children, were hurt.

Mark Hunter, from Carlisle, the father of 13-year-old Sarah Hunter, who suffered burns during the display, described what he saw.

He said: "There's a record at the minute called 'Hyper, Hyper' which is like the summer dance routine which is going round in Turkey.

"It was at this point when the record came on that a trail of, I would imagine, alcohol-based inflammable liquid was laid across the front of the dance floor.

There was a massive explosion and the fireballs produced into the audience Mark Hunter

"This produced a wall of flame of about 18 inches to two feet high which I would imagine extinguished after about 10 to 15 seconds. At that point there was no problem.

"It was then repeated and it was at this point there was a massive explosion and the fireballs produced into the audience, and it was this time that there was total chaos and that people suffered their injuries."

Eden, who was the most seriously injured, was taken to a local hospital, then transferred to a burns unit in Kusadasi.

From there she was taken to a teaching hospital in Izmir where she died.

The injured were not in a serious condition, a hospital official told the AP news agency late on Wednesday.

Eden had been on holiday with her mother Helen Zachariou in the resort since 25 July.

The Foreign Office confirmed the other injured Britons were being treated at a hospital in Kusadasi.

A spokesman said: "A six-year-old girl died in Izmir on 31 July after receiving burns during a fire-based entertainment display at a hotel.

"Next of kin have been informed and consular staff are providing assistance.

"We can confirm that six British nationals - including three minors - also received burns during the incident.

"They are currently in hospital in Kusadasi receiving treatment. Consular staff have visited the hospital."