A PREGNANT woman has hit out at a top fashion chain after discovering a needle and thread in a pair of trousers.

Daily Echo journalist Emma Joseph, 29, bought the black maternity trousers at Topshop's Castlepoint store in Bournemouth on Tuesday and discovered the sewing needle and black thread, which was still attached to the garment, the following day.

Mrs Joseph, who is six months pregnant, said: "I felt something sharp digging into the back of my right leg and thought perhaps it was a ticket I hadn't cut off.

"When I put my hand down to brush it away, I found the needle was stuck in my leg. I actually had to pull it out - it was quite painful.

"Luckily it was stuck in my leg rather than my stomach, which could have been a lot nastier."

It is not the first time Mrs Joseph, of Christchurch, has had an unfortunate experience with Topshop clothing.

She said: "I bought an identical pair of trousers a few weeks ago, but the zip broke.

"I exchanged them for the pair that I have now - only to find a needle and thread in them.

"I was quite surprised because I would have thought the trousers would have been made using a machine.

"The only thing I can think is that perhaps someone else bought them, tried to alter them somehow and then returned them and they were re-sold."

A Topshop spokeswoman said: "Usually if they were taken back they would be checked by our staff before they are put out on the shop floor.

"We have people in the factories checking and people checking in the distribution warehouse as well.

"It could have been us not checking them properly."

The spokeswoman said the store would offer Mrs Joseph a full refund.

However, she said when she went into the store the manager denied there was any fault with the trousers and refused to either return or exchange them, saying they had been worn.