A mum is urging parents to check their children’s mobile devices after her son sliced his hand open on a cracked iPad screen.

Damarall Werrey-Easterbrook rushed seven-year-old TJ to a pharmacy after a large wound appeared on his right hand while playing online game Roblox.

The youngster, from Broadstairs, was using his fingers to swipe up and down when a screen crack deepened and caused the glass to become sharp and disjointed on Saturday night.

Ms Werrey-Easterbrook, 45, says the defect had appeared a few weeks earlier when the Apple-built device was trodden on, but says she “left it because it was never raised or sharp”.

She is now urging other parents to keep a closer eye on the devices as TJ’s wound “wouldn’t stop bleeding”.

"We had left the crack because we felt the screen and the edges and didn't think it was an issue," the dog groomer said.

"TJ was still playing games and nothing happened in between - it just suddenly moved with the motion of using it.

"Pretty much every child has a tablet or a phone which looks like TJ's too.

"I know it's a glass screen, but you'd never think what happened could result in the severity of that injury.

"My friend has now got her daughter's iPad repaired straight away because she doesn't want that happening."

Pharmacy staff at Tesco at Westwood Cross decided not to send TJ to A+E as he would have been unable to be given stitches due to the skin being completely removed.

He was instead given bandages and dressing to tape the gash, with wound spray also being used to keep it clean and free of infection.

But having changed TJ's dressing on Monday, the soon-to-be Upton Junior School pupil was immediately rushed to The Queen Elizabeth Queen Mother Hospital (QEQM) when his parents discovered the wound was still bleeding.

He was given new bandaging before being told to expect some short-term pain while the skin heals.

Ms Werrey-Easterbrook, who lives in St Peter’s, says she remains relieved her boy's injuries are not life-threatening.

"If the cut were any deeper or a little lower it could have been a vein and a whole different story," she added.

"But he was very brave and calm with it too - to the point he was calming us down.

"Since he was young, TJ has wanted to go into the Army and I think this will stand him in good stead."

This week, Ms Werrey-Easterbrook received a statement from the Apple Store's customer service department.

“It’s really sad to hear this accident has taken place with your son," the spokesman said.

"I hope he is fine now and I really pray for a speedy recovery.

“At Apple, we strive to bring the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through its innovative hardware, software and internet offerings.

“Apple welcomes your feedback on its products and service.”

KentOnline also approached Apple twice to comment on the incident via email.