I was left with blisters from forest people that people don't even know is dangerous
A GARDENER was left with 'painful' blisters after brushing against dangerous bushes despite wearing gloves.
Robin Hankins was working in a garden in Dorset when she came across the invasive plant.
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Unaware of the poisonous plant getting into her skin, Robyn, 28, continued to work in Corfe Mullen's garden.
But she was shocked when painful blisters appeared all over her arm the next day.
Mrs Hankins said: “I was wearing long sleeves and gloves and was unaware that the sap had touched my skin.
“Nothing appeared on my skin until I woke up the next morning to find red burns on my arm and hand. They got progressively worse over a three-day period.
“It was only a small affected area, but once the burn marks appeared it was very painful.”
Hogweed or cow parsnip is an invasive species mentioned by experts as “Britain's most dangerous factory”
The sap of this wild flower can penetrate the skin and cause serious injuries.
The plant contains a toxin that can kill skin cells and remove UV protection.
The affected skin then becomes very sensitive to sunlight, resulting in unpleasant burns and irritation.
The plant is easily mistaken for harmless shrubs in parks or forests.
But Robyn is urging people to be on their guard after eventually seeking emergency medical care.
She said: “I first spoke to a pharmacist who suggested hydrocortisone cream. Then I saw a doctor on day four because it wasn't improving.
“The doctor asked for help from a nurse, who drained the largest blister to relieve some pain and covered the wound.
“However, she left the two smaller blisters untreated.
“She had never heard of hogweed or that it was dangerous.”
The gardener at Wimborne Minster is now advising people to avoid the plant.
Robyn added: “Even if you think you're being careful, it can still end up on your skin.
“Because of the nature of it, I had long sleeves and gloves and it was still on me.
“So remove clothes and wash them after handling them, regardless of whether you think you're wearing them or not.”
The alarm goes off when another man is left covered in golf ball-sized blisters after he and his little brother touched a dangerous plant.
Daniel, 21, walked past giant hogweed as he retrieved a football from a bush in Boston Manor Park in Brentford, west London.
What is giant hogweed and how to treat burns?
Giant hogweed is native to the Caucasus but was introduced to Britain as an ornamental plant in 1817 and its spread has now gotten out of control.
Mike Duddy, of the Mersey Basin Rivers Trust, said in 2015 that giant hogweed was “without doubt the most dangerous plant in Britain”.
Giant hogweed sap prevents the skin from protecting itself from the sun's rays, leading to horrific burns when exposed to natural light.
Part of what makes it so dangerous is that it usually doesn't cause immediate pain, so victims can continue to burn in the sun, ignoring any problem.
And it only takes a moment of exposure for the sap to do its work.
If you are exposed to the plant, wash the area that made contact thoroughly and keep it out of the sun for a few days, the Woodland Trust advises.
