An elderly woman set fire to herself in the centre of Warsaw, Saturday morning, suffering up to 40 percent burns.

Police say the incident occurred at around 07.15 CET when the 72 year-old woman poured liquid over herself - thought to be gasoline - in Plac Pilsudskiego, near the papal cross.

An ambulance arrived soon after and took her to a nearby hospital.

“This was probably a protest against ineffective hospital treatment given to her sick daughter,” Maciej Karczyński, a spokesman for the Warsaw police force told reporters.

What's clear is that the protest was not connected with the conflict over the Smolensk cross a couple of hundred metres down the road outside the Presidential Palace.

Though severely burnt the old lady‘s life is not in danger, say police. (pg)

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