Motivational coal-walking backfires

A motivation day organised by an Italian estate agency backfired when nine staff had to be taken to hospital after walking on hot coals.

Motivational trainer Alessandro Di Priamo said the nine salespeople from the Tecnocasa agency suffered light burns and none were seriously hurt.

"Firewalking helps people overcome their fears, seek new challenges and understand that most of what they see as their limits are self-inflicted," Mr Di Priamo said.

He said the hotel near Rome where the exercise was held used the wrong kind of wood and some artificial coal without him knowing.

"I have done this job for 12 years with thousands of people and never had a problem. I myself walked first on that bed of burning coals and didn't feel anything - in fact that same evening I went for a 16km run," he said.

Doctors said the injuries could take up to 10 days to heal.

However, Serafino Bisirri, the manager of the Villa Icidia hotel, denied responsibility for the incident.

"If the wood wasn't the right sort, whose responsibility was that? Mr Di Priamo was the conductor of this particular orchestra. I mean, it's not as if I go walking on burning coals," he told the Guardian.