A council has agreed to review its rules on barbecues after a three-year-old girl was badly burned when she fell on to the smouldering remains of an illegal beach fire.

The Argus reported yesterday how Jasmine Harrison may have permanently damaged her fingers in the fall on the beach in Hove.

She is the second toddler this week to suffer burns from hot ashes left on beaches in the city.

Environment councillor Gill Mitchell said she would be considering "all options" to keep the beach safe.

Further details of the review are expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.

Jasmine's motherDenise, 39, of Ditchling Road, Brighton, welcomed the rethink.

She said: "The beach is a vast place and they obviously can't police it.

"There should be more facilities to help people put their fires and barbecues out."

Open beach fires are illegal at all times and anyone ignoring the ban risks being fined up to £500.

Barbecues are allowed in designated areas of the beach after 7pm.

A permit may be bought for £8 from the city's Seafront Office, which allows a group of up to ten people to hold a barbecue on the beach at Brighton Marina, the Meeting Place caf on the border of Brighton and Hove, the bottom of Sackville Gardens or opposite Hove Lagoon.

Lighting a barbecue on any other part of the beach or on the seafront lawns is illegal and punishable by a £500 penalty although council officers say they prefer to move people on rather than fine them.

On Tuesday, officers were forced to order 24 separate groups to put out their barbecues and move on.

An average of only 40 people a week are buying permits and council officials believe many more are ignoring the rules.

Coun Mitchell said: "The problem is made worse because disposable barbecues are much more easily available these days.

"Hundreds of people come down to the beach to light up barbecues and the seafront staff have their work cut out to get round to all of them and put them out.

"We have already increased the number of signs to remind people of the rules and we are going to be reviewing our existing practices and procedures.

"We do not want to spoil anyone's enjoyment but we have to put safety first."