A mum-of-three has been left 'scarred for life' after she was struck in the face by a magic wand that she had bought for her son for Christmas.
Clarissa Clary, 44, bought her 16-year-old son Caine a 'Magic Staff' on eBay that starts off as a two inch wand, but springs to extend into a five foot long staff at the push of a button.
When she accidentally triggered the mechanism, the staff shot into her face and came within inches of blinding her. Doctors later told her that she could have lost her eye and suffered brain damage from the force of the blow.
Clarissa, from Canvey Island, Essex, explained: "It shoots out at 1,000mph in a second so you get this five foot long staff shooting up at your head.
"Thankfully it missed my eye by an inch but I could have lost my eye and the hospital said it could have even caused brain damage.
"I'm still feeling really sick and dizzy. I didn't have any feeling there because the force of it had severed all the nerves."
Despite her injury, it's a good thing that she tried it out before giving the item to her son, who has special needs.
She said: "I tried it out and my dad came round but neither of us could put the staff back so I hid it under the sofa. I eventually managed to put the spring back and I was quite proud of myself.
"I had put it back in the box ready to get it wrapped for Christmas but when I picked up the bag I must have released it and it shot out and hit me straight in the face.
"I was in a daze for quite a few hours holding onto my head. At the time my dad and daughter were laughing at me and I actually laughed at the time too.
"But then my dad said: 'Are you okay?' because it knocked me to the floor.
"I was holding onto my head and he said: 'Let me have a look' and then blood starting pouring from it. I had blood all over my face and my arms.
"It was purely the force of it that caused it and it was a sharp bit of metal on the end."
She was taken to Basildon Hospital, but wasn't seen for over five hours, by which point the initial wound had healed and therefore wasn't cleaned internally.
Clarissa continued: "This object has metal fragments and oil in it. I might need an operation to remove the debris from it, I basically need a plastic surgeon!
"They have to remove whatever's there and stitch it up. I'll be scarred forever.
"I have an infection under the wound and a lump and it keeps swelling up."
The object itself was originally made for the martial arts market, but Clarissa claims it has been cheaply replicated and aimed at children. She bought this one for £6.50 ($8.50), but has seen them for as little as £2 ($2.60).
She added: "Some places advertised it as a children's toy and some were saying it's a great Christmas present for children.
"I didn't have a clue what I was getting - and that was a bit naughty."
Since the incident, she's reported the item to Trading Standards, and messaged the seller on eBay. Now, she wants to raise awareness to ensure this doesn't happen again.
"The amount of people that have messaged me and said they were thinking about purchasing this is unbelievable and for children as young as eight.
"To think of children getting this or even adults getting this and if a child accidentally knocks it and sets it off. It's horrific.
"Police talk about knuckle dusters but this item is legal and on the market and is probably more dangerous.
"This thing is so dangerous, if a child got hold of this I dread to think what could happen.
"My biggest concern is the spring that shoots it out it's so dangerous.
"My son has got special needs from having meningitis as a baby and he loves gimmick-type stuff and as children get older I find it harder to get them stuff they would like.
"I'm just grateful that I never actually gave it to him. I just want to raise awareness so that people understand the dangers."
She concluded: "I don't feel like myself at all. It's not just affected me but it's had a knock-on effect to my family. My son has special needs and has started going to a new school which takes me two hours on the school run.
"I haven't been able to take him so he's missed probably two and a half weeks. It's affecting his education. He needs structure and I feel so bad I haven't been able to give him that recently.
"I'm just glad he wasn't hurt and I'm grateful every day that I still have my eye."
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Ab eBay spokesperson told Metro: "eBay doesn't permit the listing of unsafe products. The items have been removed and the sellers advised to contact buyers."
Featured Image Credit: SWNS