Featured Image Credit: Kennedy News
Topics: Disney
Niamh Spence
Topics: Disney
A Disney fan claims she was left needing surgery to remove shards of glass from her mouth and stomach, after a Disney princess-themed glass exploded in her face as she drank from it.
Lauren Perks, from Barking, East London, was washing down a tablet with a glass of water when she says the Disney-themed cup bought from B&M suddenly shattered.
The 24-year-old attempted to spit out the chunks of glass but quickly realised she had swallowed some with her medicine as she could feel a piece lodged in her chest.
Lauren and her fiancée Kelly rushed to A&E where she says x-rays revealed she had swallowed numerous different sized pieces of glass and they had made their way into her chest and stomach and could have been 'tearing her insides'.
Lauren then underwent general anaesthetic for two hours while medics picked fragments of glass from her stomach by inserting a tube down her throat.
Talking about her ordeal, Lauren said: "It's literally such a freak accident. I was just having a drink.
"I took the glass out of the cupboard and poured myself a glass of water. As I was drinking it, the glass literally exploded and shattered in my face.
"As I swallowed the tablet, I swallowed the glass as well. There was glass all in my mouth so I spat it out but I was bleeding.
"I wasn't in pain at first, I was just in shock. Then a couple of minutes later, my chest started to hurt. I knew I'd swallowed some so we went to A&E. I had quite a few pieces in there and when they removed them the doctors said there were more than expected."
She added: "They said if they couldn't get all the pieces out with the tube then they'd have to cut me open but luckily it worked. They were worried the glass could have been tearing my insides."
She was hospitalised for three days until medics were certain that the glass hadn't caused any internal damage and is still taking medication to strengthen her stomach lining.
Disney fan Lauren, who had been given the set of two glasses for Christmas, has since binned the remaining glasses and now refuses to drink out of glass cups ever since.
Lauren said: "I've been second guessing myself, wondering if I did something wrong, if I'd put the hot tap on instead of cold but the water was definitely cold.
"The glasses weren't knocked after they were given to me, they were perfectly fine. I just can't think of a reason it would explode like that."
Lauren says she's been in touch with B&M to complain who have asked for a photo of the receipt and a sample of the glass to help them investigate.
Lauren said: "I don't want money or anything, I just want the glasses recalled. They're Disney-themed so kids will be using them.
"I'm still in pain, I'm still sore, my belly hurts and I'm scared to use glasses, I've only used plastic cups since."
A B&M spokesperson said: "We are aware of this and we're currently waiting for the customer to get back to us so we can investigate further." The company has requested pieces of the glass from Lauren.
Disney said the glasses are a 'licensed product' that are created, manufactured and distributed by a third party company.