COUNCIL health and safety officers are investigating the tanning salon where a boy of 13 took three sunbed sessions in one day and ended up with severe facial burns.

Teenager Kieron Saunders had one nine-minute session and two six-minute sessions at the unmanned SunKissed salon in Commercial Street, Tredegar.

Several days later he developed serious blisters on his face, which a doctor later diagnosed as infected burns.

John Garside, Blaenau Gwent council's team leader for food, health and safety, said a health and safety investigation is being carried out "as a matter of urgency."

He said: "Our officers are interviewing witnesses and inspecting a tanning salon alleged to be involved in the incident.

"We are investigating to see if there is a possible breach of the Health and Safety at Work Etc. Act (1974) in respect of the allegation that a boy of 13 was able to use sunbeds without supervision on three occasions in one day."

He said the council shares the serious concerns raised about the use of sunbeds in particular those expressed by the Chartered Institute for Environmental Health, which called for unmanned studios and coin-operated sunbeds to be banned.

Steven James, owner of SunKissed, said staff monitor the shop "75 per cent of the time".

He said there are signs saying no under-16s and not to tan for more than six minutes.

He said Kieron had been asked to leave the shop before, and added: "Obviously I'm concerned this has happened, I don't want anyone to burn."

Research by the World Health Organisation suggests people who start using sunbeds in their teens, 20s and 30s are 75 per cent more likely to develop skin cancer.

The Department of Health is now considering regulation to prevent young people from having unsupervised access to sunbed salons.