The question of whether a drug user buried the needle in the doll before it was placed on a tombola booth at a fair in Skegness, Lincolnshire, on July 28 is currently being looked into by Lincolnshire Police.

Mum-of-three “I am appalled that my daughter was poked by a filthy needle,” said Katie.

“A needle, which could have easily been used to inject drugs.

“I believed the needle may have been a diabetic one, but the police stated it was improbable because it had a plunger and the majority of diabetics use pens that already had the prescribed amount of insulin in them.

“As a parent, you want to keep your kids safe, so it’s horrifying to think that playing with a doll they won at a tombola may endanger their life.

“When I first saw the needle, I was astounded and couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

Grace accidentally poked herself while playing with it; she noticed and removed the cap before suffering an injury before re-applying it.

She told her step-sister first, who then told me, so she didn’t immediately tell me.

“Anything could have been in that needle, and I was afraid. A hypodermic needle doesn’t just magically appear within a doll’s clothing; it had to be placed there knowingly.

“I returned to the fair because it was run by the emergency services, but they had all finished packing and left.

“The stall’s manager was horrified and in shock about what had happened. As with all the other toys, she claimed to have purchased the doll at a car boot sale.

Grace had to undergo a variety of tests at the hospital, where she was also immediately immunized against hepatitis B and tetanus.

But before we receive the all-clear, it can take up to a year.

“I believe that these vendors really need to exercise caution in what they sell. If they purchase items from car boot sales, anything could be inside.

Parents must also instruct their children to inform them immediately if anything similar occurs.

“I shudder to consider what might have transpired between the injury and Grace’s telling me.

“There’s no doubt that it changed us all. Now that I’m much more aware of these things, I check all the kids’ toys before they play with them.

Grace is currently less certain about dolls.

She adored them and would rush to the stall anytime she spotted one, but these days, she is less interested in playing with them.

I gave the needle to the police, who tested it but couldn’t determine who put it there because it was dry.

“As a result, they are unable to file any accusations against anyone.”

The event’s co-organizer and head of the Skegness Carnival Committee, Kris Bell, said: “It was horrible.

“It must have been a terrible moment; I can’t even begin to picture the suffering the family must be going through.

“Even though we are merely volunteers, we take what we do extremely seriously, and this is not the time for impulsive decisions.

“From a personal standpoint, I’d advise any organizations dealing with used items to start being more careful with how they treat the goods.”

The mother took her daughter to the hospital for observation, and around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, she reported the incident, according to a Lincolnshire Police spokesperson.