Doctors have warned parents about the dangers caused by magnet-containing toys.

Around 300 UK children are being admitted to A&E each year after swallowing the small, metal pieces, according to the University of Southampton - with one in 10 of these requiring life-saving operations.

The study, being the first of its kind, also revealed that the more magnets ingested, the higher the risk of long-term damage due to the items fusing together in the stomach.

Professor Nigel Hall, lead author of the study and Professor of Paediatric Surgery at The University of Southampton, as well as a consultant at Southampton Children's Hospital, emphasised the need for warning signs.

He said many magnet toys lacked sufficient warnings about the potential dangers.

Prof Hall said: "Our study reveals that 300 children and young people are being hospitalised each year in the UK after ingesting magnets.

"These magnets have potential to harm a large number of children and young people and increase work for the NHS."

The study, named MAGNETIC and published in the Archives of Diseases in Childhood journal, found that more than two out of every 100,000 children swallow magnets every year, according to figures obtained from 66 UK hospitals.

However, Prof Hall believes the true number is likely higher as not all hospitals submitted their data.

Around six per cent of cases were attributed to viral social media trends, with most of these incidents involving girls attempting to mimic tongue piercings using small magnets.

Prof Hall also stressed the urgency of seeking emergency medical attention: "Most children who have swallowed a magnet do not show any symptoms."

The Child Accident Prevention Trust is working alongside the report authors to raise awareness of the dangers of strong magnets.

To see the tips offered by the Child Accident Prevention Trust, visit capt.org.uk/magnet-safety.

A case highlighting the severity of these incidents involved two-year-old Rebecca McCarthy.

After swallowing 14 magnetic balls, the toddler underwent a two-hour-long surgery to remove these items that had clumped together and severely damaged internal tissues.

Her mother, Sam, said it was a horrific experience for the entire family.