Boy, 9, needed major surgery after TikTok magnet trend

A mum has said her nine-year-old son is lucky to be alive after copying a viral trend that left him needing urgent abdominal surgery.

Jack Mason, from Stirling, had to have his appendix, small bowel, and 30cm of his large bowel removed after he swallowed multiple tiny magnets.

A trend circulating on TikTok has seen children putting such magnets in their mouths to look like piercings.

The balls joined up inside his body causing a blockage.

Jack's mother Carolann McGeoch now wants to warn parents about the potential dangers.

She told the BBC parents should "put these magnets straight in the bin" as her son was released from the hospital to start a long recovery.

Jack was taken to hospital on September 7 with abdominal pain and vomiting.

After ultrasounds, medical staff quickly sent him in an ambulance to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow where X-rays showed that something was blocking Jack's bowel.

Carolann said it was quickly discovered that the blockage was a collection of tiny magnets.

After "a bit of probing to get the truth", Jack admitted that he had swallowed them.

Doctors explained to Carolann that he would require surgery to remove the magnets and any damaged tissue.

"It was explained to me that the damage these magnets can cause could be so extreme that he might not pull through," she said.

"Through floods of tears, I then had to sign my permission to the operation, acknowledging that 'anything could happen."

After four hours in the theatre, Jack lost his appendix, his small bowel, and a significant section of his large bowel.

Eight days on from his surgery, Jack has just been allowed to go home. Now his mum wants other parents to understand the dangers.

Although he does not have a TikTok account, Jack had still seen videos shared from the platform.