Mum's fury after daughter, three, nearly lost ear to infection from £3 ladybird studs

A mum says her three-year-old daughter almost lost her ear after wearing £2.99 gold-plated earrings.

Amelia Moloney might need plastic surgery after wearing the ladybird studs for three days and nights.

She was left screaming in pain after her ears grew covered in sore and bloody blisters.

Mum Ciara, 28, explained: ‘They were given to us as a gift because she loves ladybirds.

‘Usually I take them out at night but she didn’t want me to because they were a present.

‘She had them in for three days and I was getting her ready for pre-school and when I went to take it out there was a ball of something in my finger.

‘I thought her ear was coming off – it was so scary.

‘There was blood pouring from her ear – it was dripping all over her school uniform.’

Ciara, from Armagh in Northern Ireland, rushed her young daughter to the nearest hospital.

She added: ‘The nurse looked at her ears and said it was lucky she did not lose her ear lobe. She said she had never seen that bad a reaction.

‘The stuff that was coming off was dead tissue. It had got stuck on the earring. It was disgusting.

‘The nurse cleaned it up and gave her some antibiotics which she has to take four times a day.

‘She told me it could take a long time to heal and if it doesn’t she would have to be referred to a plastic surgeon.

‘They’re not sure what caused it. They said some people are allergic or just can’t wear the cheaper earrings.

Ciara said it was terrifying to think that she might lose part of her ear because of an earring.

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The seller, Mass Sallah, who sells jewellery on Ebay, apologised for the state of Amelia’s ears, but added: ‘They are costume jewellery and £2.99 a pair.

‘Would you let your child wear costume jewellery for three days? Especially a child as young as three years?

‘I asked her if she wanted a refund even though this is no fault of mine.

‘Can you buy real gold plated earrings for £2.99? If so please let me know where.

‘Check on our listing and read the description as all buyers should do before purchasing.

‘We are not allowed to list our earrings as real gold or say they have a certain carat of real gold and we clearly state the metal is brass.

‘The infection is caused by wearing and sleeping in a pair of cheap earrings for three days. She has probably cut her ear and got dirt in it.

‘I wouldn’t care how much a three year old liked a pair of earrings, they wouldn’t be sleeping in them for a single night never mind three nights.’

A spokeswoman for Ebay commented: ‘The safety of our customers is our number one priority and we will always follow up on cases of this nature.’