A 14-year-old British schoolboy nearly lost his leg after cutting it on a piece of wire while jumping into a lake to beat the heat — and then developed a rare, life-threatening flesh-eating infection.

Jacob Butler was swimming with friends at Colliers Moss Park in Burtonwood, Cheshire, on April 30 when the horrifying accident occurred. He caught his right leg on submerged wire, slicing it down to the bone just below the knee and leaving a deep, nasty gash.

A quick-thinking fisherman nearby used his t-shirt as a makeshift tourniquet to stop the bleeding, an action Jacob’s mother later credited with saving both her son’s life and his leg. Jacob called his father, Ashley Butler, saying he had a “really bad” accident. Paramedics rushed to the scene, and the teenager was airlifted to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

Doctors performed emergency surgery the next day to clean the wound and stitch it up. However, on May 13, Jacob’s mother, Rebecca Butler, noticed his leg smelled like “rotting flesh.” She rushed him back to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with necrotising fasciitis — a rare and aggressive flesh-eating disease — caused by the bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila, commonly found in lakes and rivers.

The infection had already eaten away around 15cm of flesh and muscle. Jacob underwent a gruelling five-hour surgery to remove the infected tissue, followed by a calf muscle transfer and a skin graft from his thigh. Doctors warned the family that he could have lost his leg — or even his life — if treatment had been delayed any longer.

Rebecca described the ordeal as “devastating,” saying at one point she feared her son would die. “It smelt like death, it was horrific,” she recalled. Jacob has been left with a significant 6-inch chunk of tissue missing from his leg but is making steady progress in recovery. His mother praised him as “a real trooper.”

The family is now speaking out to raise awareness about the dangers of swimming in open water. Rebecca has created an Instagram page called JacobsWaterWarning to share Jacob’s story and warn others, especially during hot weather.

Jacob himself urged children: “Please don’t jump into open water as it can be very dangerous. I could have lost my leg or worse.”

Necrotising fasciitis is a serious infection of the deeper layers of skin and tissues. It spreads rapidly and requires immediate medical attention. Bacteria like Aeromonas hydrophila can enter the body through even small cuts or wounds in contaminated freshwater.

Safety reminder: Always be cautious when swimming in natural bodies of water, check for hazards, and seek immediate medical help for any wounds that show signs of infection (redness, swelling, foul odour, or rapid worsening).

This story highlights how a fun summer swim can turn into a medical emergency in seconds. Wishing Jacob a full and speedy recovery!