A CHEF severely burned when a vape battery exploded in his pocket said yesterday: “I won’t kick the e-cigs habit.”

Dad-of-two Josh Dickens needed skin grafts after the Vapcell power unit burst into “fireworks” — scorching his leg and privates.

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It burned through his trousers and pants as he tried to wrestle them off during “three minutes of hell” before dropping to the floor — setting it alight, too.

Married Josh, 30, threw his hoodie over the battery and put it in the sink before tending his wounds.

He said: “It was a nightmare.

“With no warning, my pocket was on fire.

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“You don’t think it would happen to you until it does.”

Josh, of Hinckley, Leics — who bought the faulty battery from the town’s Sky Blue Vape Lounge — needed the grafts after contracting an infection, but will keep vaping.

He said: “It’s not put me off.

“If you burn yourself eating a cookie, you’re not gonna stop eating cookies — you’ll just do it differently.

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“I use smaller vapes now, with tiny batteries, and I’ve learned not to put them in my pocket.”

Sky Blue Vape Lounge and Vapcell were approached for comment.

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