An egg-lover was left bandaged 'like a mummy' after his breakfast exploded in the microwave leaving flesh falling off his face. Saul Morton was cooking eggs for himself and a pal at work when he decided to poach the eggs in a mug of water in the microwave for 60 seconds. The factory worker had seen the method being used on an online tutorial. However when microwaving the second egg, it 'blew up', showering his face in a scalding spray even burning his left eyeball.
Thinking he literally had 'egg on his face' when he saw white peeling from his eyelids, cheeks and nose, the processing plant shift manager was horrified to realise it was his flesh falling away.Saul, who is himself a first aider, was rushed to hospital and then sent to a specialist burns unit where he received treatment.Now back at work, the 44-year-old is sharing painful-looking pictures of his injuries to warn others against cooking eggs in this way.Saul, from Pantymwyn, Flintshire, said: "I was in agonising pain, it felt like when you spill scalding hot water out of the kettle and catch yourself - but all over my eyes and face."I ran to the bathroom from the canteen after it happened and washed my face with cold water."At first thought I had egg white stuck all over my face but then I realised it was my skin peeling off my eyelids, cheeks and nose."When that happened, and my face started to swell up, that's when I knew it was time to ring for an ambulance."
Saul, who was making the breakfast snack at 10.30am on December 8, said he'd cooked eggs using the same method at least 30 times before without a problem. Saul said: "I was making bacon and egg sandwiches at work - I've cooked eggs in this way for years and never had a problem apart from this one time."I'd seen a professional cooking video showing this method on the internet but there was no warning this might happen."I'd already done one egg and made a sandwich. As I removed the second egg from the cup it exploded and I saw this flash of white liquid coming towards my face."The general consensus is that a membrane formed over the water in the cup and when I pierced this with the spoon the water below flashed to steam and blew out of the cup - it was a freak accident."
Saul was rushed to Glan Clwyd Hospital in Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire, by ambulance where he received pain relief and his face was covered in a soothing gel dressing.He was then wrapped in the mummy-like bandages for 24 hours.Saul said: "I was bandaged like a mummy - but the gel and bandages saved me."They put the bandages on my head and then cut slits out for my eyes and mouth so I could breathe."I couldn't see very well with them on so I stayed at my parents' house."I'm a big Liverpool fan and that night my dad had to describe what was going on on Match of the Day when we beat Bournemouth 4-0."The following day he was taken to Whiston Hospital's burns unit in Prescot, Merseyside, by his dad Alan Morton where specialists examined his scorched skin and prescribed eye ointment and a week's worth of antibiotics.
Saul said: "I was in excruciating pain as some of it splashed on my left eye, but the ointment they prescribed meant there was no lasting damage."The gel forms a scab over the burns and once that was on I didn't feel anything. After a week it started dropping off and I was back at work two weeks later."It healed so well the scar clinic discharged me fairly quickly."When Saul returned to work colleagues had chipped in to buy him a novelty egg-themed gift in recognition of what he'd been through. Saul said: "When I went back to work the lad had bought me a game called Egg Splat - it was to be expected."I've got a bit of a red mark on my nose but that's it. I was lucky, it could have been a hell of a lot worse."I'm a safety-conscious person and take all these precautions but this still happened."Poaching eggs in microwaves just isn't worth it. I just want to make people aware that this can and does happen."