A mum says a 'dodgy' piercing left her nine-year-old daughter too afraid to leave the house after it ripped through her ear lobe.
Poppy Bennett, from Anfield, Liverpool, had her ears pierced at Claire's Accessories in Liverpool city centre as a treat before her First Holy Communion.
Weeks after getting the small studs fitted, Poppy's mum, Catherine Walsh, says she was laughed at in school when the earrings "ripped open" her ears.
Catherine said the damage to her left lobe has left Poppy too embarrassed to go outside without her ears covered up, reports the Liverpool Echo.
She said: "She kept them in for three weeks and when we were changing them it was when she got diamond earrings as a present. She said 'my friends are skitting (making fun of) me saying my ears are ripped'.
The mum-of-four said Poppy's ripped ear lobe has "knocked her confidence" and that the nine-year-old is now facing the prospect of cosmetic surgery to fix the damage.
Catherine, 36, said: "It's knocked her confidence. It was a really tiny little earring. When we went to the doctors they said we have to let it heal to close. She will have to have cosmetic surgery just to close the ear in a few weeks."
Since discovering the damage to her daughter's ears, Catherine has been in touch with Claire's Accessories to complain about the piercing job.
She claims she was initially offered a £25 refund and £30 compensation in the form of a store gift card.
However, the ECHO understands Catherine has now instructed a solicitor and will be pursuing legal action against Claire's over the damage.
A spokesperson from the company said: "Over 40 years, Claire’s has pierced more than 100 million ears. Customer well-being and safety is always our main priority.
"We were concerned to hear about Miss Walsh's ear lobe and are in communication with Mrs. Walsh regarding this issue."
