Trick or treat girl, seven, tells how Claudia Winkleman's daughter was 'dressed like a witch when her cape caught fire' and burned her leg

• e-mail

A friend of Claudia Winkleman's daughter has told how the eight-year-old's witch costume caught fire during an evening of trick-or-treat.

Matilda Thykier is being treated for severe burns with her mother, the presenter of TV's Strictly Come Dancing, by her side after an accident on Friday.

One of the schoolgirl's young friends has now told of the moment a candle on a doorstep of a house they were visiting set light to the cape of her witch's outfit.

Scroll down for video 

Injured: Claudia Winkleman's daughter Matilda, right, has been hurt after her Halloween costume caught fire in an accident on Halloween night

Family: Kris Thykier with his daughter Matilda in April 2013 (left) and just over a fortnight ago on October 18

Zoya Bacolv, seven, was out trick-or-treating with her two sisters Isla, five, and Laila, eight, and a group of adults when the accident happened.

Zoya said of Matilda: 'She was outside a house when her cape caught fire, I think she was dressed as a witch. I think it was a candle outside a house that set her cape on fire.

'I saw her when the ambulance came, they had to wrap her up to put out the fire.

'She burnt her leg. They put her in a cast thing and put lots of plasters on her leg. She's going to be hospital for a week. It was really scary.'

Zoya's mother Evelyn Bacolv, 34, said: 'I only know from what I have heard from my daughters, but I have heard Matilda has been seriously injured.

'I'm not sure exactly where it happened because they didn't see Matilda when the cape caught fire, only when the ambulance arrived. They were in group of people and Matilda was out with another group. It is worrying.'

Mrs Bacolv said she would be considering whether or not to allow her daughters to dress up with capes in the future after this incident.

Matilda was treated at the scene in west London after her Halloween costume is believed to have been set alight by a candle

Popular TV personality Miss Winkleman has spent the past four days at her little girl's bedside.

Miss Winkleman, who missed the Strictly shows on Saturday and Sunday nights, and her husband Kris Thykier, both 42, have said they are 'hopeful' she will make 'a full recovery'.

They warned parents about the dangers of candles, open fires and fireworks.

In a statement, the couple said: 'Our daughter was involved in an accident on Friday night while celebrating Halloween. She is having the best care possible and we are hopeful of a full recovery.

'We would like to thank everyone who has been so supportive and particularly the NHS doctors, nurses and staff who have been absolutely incredible.

'We would like to take this opportunity to remind anyone taking part in fireworks parties or Guy Fawkes celebrations to be vigilant about the dangers of candles, open fires and fireworks and to please have the appropriate safety measures in place and to hand.' 

According to a neighbour, who did not wish to be named, the party had just embarked on the trip, when the accident occurred. Miss Winkleman is believed to have been nearby. 

The neighbour said: 'Apparently there were candles outside [the house] and you know how all these costumes are made of highly flammable material.'

She added: 'The poor girl's dress literally went up in a fireball and somebody tried to put it out.

'They pushed her to the ground and sort of rolled her over and tried to put it out but by that time she had got burnt on her fingers and her arm. His [the man who tried to help] fingers got burnt as well.

'They were literally just on their way [trick or treating], it was right at the start. It's awful, awful.'

The eight-year-old (right) played a bridesmaid in the 2013 film I Give It a Year with Minnie Driver (left)

Absence: Miss Winkleman (pictured with Tess Daly) is at her daughter's bedside and it is unclear when she will return to the BBC show

The incident happened in an upmarket part of west London, not far from former Prime Minister Tony Blair's house.

It is believed the family were due to attend a celebrity Halloween party hosted by Jonathan Ross later that evening.

Miss Winkleman's nanny told The Sun: 'Claudia was very worried. She hasn't left her side.'

Last weekend Miss Winkleman was replaced on Strictly at short notice by Zoe Ball.

At the time, the BBC only said one of her children was 'unwell'. Miss Ball will step in again this Saturday to present alongside Tess Daly. 

Miss Winkleman and Mr Thykier, who married 14 years ago, also have two sons, Jake, 11, and Arthur, three. 

She recently revealed that she and co-host Miss Daly, who has two young children, spend most of their time backstage talking about schools, homework and their lack of sleep.

In 2010, she told the Daily Mail she felt having babies was 'addictive' and said she would always put motherhood ahead of her career.

'My kids come first. They mean everything to me. I'll worry about them until I'm dead. They'll always be my babies,' she said.

'Jake went on a sleepover and it broke my heart. I don't understand parents who wish their kids away. I won't let my son leave the house on his own until he's 28, not a moment sooner.

Zoe Ball (left) stood in for Claudia Winkleman to present Strictly Come Dancing with Tess Daly (right)

'When I'm asked to travel for work I say no. You'll never say on your deathbed, 'I wish I'd made that documentary that would have taken me away from home for four weeks'.'

A spokesman for Strictly said: 'Zoe Ball will co-host Strictly Come Dancing this weekend.

'All our thoughts and very best wishes are with Claudia and her family at this time.' 

London Fire Brigade deputy commissioner Rita Dexter said: 'I hope Claudia's daughter has a speedy recovery after this ordeal. It's a shocking but timely reminder that open flames can be lethal if you don't keep an eye on them or they are left unattended.

'Make sure candles are placed well away from flammable items and clothing, otherwise the results can be catastrophic.'

A spokesman for the London Ambulance Service said: 'We were called at 5.23pm on Friday to an address in W2.

'We sent an ambulance crew, a single responder by car and an advanced paramedic to the scene. We treated a child and took her to hospital as a priority.'

Cambridge art graduate Miss Winkelman is also the host of The Great British Sewing Bee and has been a panellist on Never Mind The Buzzcocks and Have I Got News For You.

An Oscars host for Sky, she has also previously worked in fashion, motoring and nutrition journalism, and has co-hosted Comic Relief does Fame Academy and the Eurovision Dance Contest.  

Miss Winkleman and former PR executive Mr Thykier, whose film production credits include Kick-Ass and Paul Potts movie One Chance, married in 2000.

The Strictly presenter, the daughter of former newspaper editor Eve Pollard, had previously fronted the weekly results show and stepped in during Sir Bruce's occasional absences.

The London Fire Brigade reiterated the star's warning about the dangers of candles, open fires and fireworks.

Last year, there were 82 fire-related injuries between Halloween and Bonfire Night - a 37 per cent increase on the number of injuries recorded in 2012.