Damages paid for ear-piercing error

The ear required hospital treatment

A teenage boy has been awarded £22,000 in compensation after suffering severe infection from an ear-piercing.

Nathan Dade, 13, needed surgery after paying £20 to have his ear pierced at a shop in Chippenham, Wiltshire, three years ago.

Damaged tissue had to be repaired, and his left ear is now shorter than his right.

Nathan's parents sued the shop involved for negligence and agreed to a out-of-court settlement with the insurance company involved.

The money will be used to fund further operations on Nathan's ear, said his family.

His mother, Sandra, said: "Nathan is learning to live with this.

"At the time he was very depressed and grew his hair long and wore woolly hats.

"People need to be aware of the dangers of body piercing. The procedures should be better monitored."

The ear swelled to the size of "a golf ball" several days after the piercing, and required hospital treatment.