A SMOKE bomb exploded in a back garden and left a man with burns.

Firefighters were called after ambulance crews discovered potassium nitrate, a component of gunpowder.

The police were alerted because it was thought the victim and a friend were making their own smoke bombs.

It later emerged the blast was caused by ammunition from a paintballing game.

A man in his mid-twenties was taken to Colchester General Hospital with burns to his face and hands and was kept in overnight.

The victim was injured in the back garden of a cottage in Harborough Hall Lane, Messing, near Tiptree, at about 8.15pm on Wednesday.

It was initially thought two men had been cooking on an outdoor stove, but it later emerged they had just come back from a paintballing game and were carrying some of the accessories.

A smoke bomb, used to confuse opponents and provide attackers with cover during paintball games, is believed to have exploded.

A retained fire crew from Tiptree was sent to the cottage where ensured the area was safe.

Ambulance service spokesman Joy Hale said: “The crew, together with support from the call centre, liaised with the police and fire services because a substance, thought to be potassium nitrate, was involved.

“We follow strict chemical, biochemical, radioactive and nuclear guidelines, because clearly we have to consider the safety of anyone at the scene in case a substance is harmful or has the potential to cause even minor problems.”

Firefighters in turn called the police because they were unsure exactly what had happened and why the chemical was in the garden.

Police are not treating the incident as suspicious.

The patient was kept in hospital overnight, but his injuries are not believed to be serious.