Boy 'set on fire' in Aberdeen street named as seven-year-old Preston Flores

Police said they have so far found no evidence of a deliberate act

A seven-year-old boy who was “set on fire” in a city centre has been moved to a specialist hospital unit where he is in a critical condition, police have said.

The little boy, named locally as Preston Flores, suffered serious burns in the incident in Bedford Avenue, Aberdeen, at about 2pm on Friday.

It is believed petrol could have been involved.

Police investigating the incident said there is no evidence so far of any deliberate act.

Preston was transferred from the Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh overnight on Friday.

Eyewitness Victoria-Jayne Pirie said Preston was on fire from the neck downwards and his clothes were sticking to him.

“We had heard him screaming and he had been lying on the floor, basically just trying to get himself calm, but nothing was working and he just ran up the back garden, screaming and crying. It was just horrid,” she told STV News.

Chief inspector Nick Topping, the local Police Scotland area commander, said: “We are grateful for the continued assistance we have received from the local community to help us piece together the events leading up to this incident. We have spoken to a number of residents about what they saw or heard which has been very helpful and important to our inquiry.

"I can confirm that the young boy who was injured is seven-year-old Preston Flores. We can advise that he was transferred last night from Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital to the ITU unit at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh.

"We understand he is still in a critical condition.

"Our investigation into this tragic incident will continue today and I would reiterate that so far there has been no evidence of any deliberate act."

He appealed for witnesses or anyone with information to contact police on 101.

Additional reporting by Press Association