She said if it had been cut by accident during the operation then she would have had permanent paralysis in her face.

There were daily reports of brides being burnt to death by their husbands and in-laws and the murders were often passed off as "kitchen accidents".

Three years later, Mr Clarke told a Sunday newspaper the tragedy had been "an accident" and added: "There's not a day goes by I don't think about it."

"We also sympathize with all those affected by the accident in the region," it said, adding that it would co-operate with investigations into the accident.

The unveiling in the red reaches of California was no accident.