A MOTHER was horrified to hear her four-year-old’s “petrified screams” after her night light exploded just a foot away from her bed.

Samantha Rackley was startled by a bang and flash when her daughter Lottie’s automatic night light from Poundland on Furtherwick Road, Canvey, exploded - only half an hour after being plugged into the wall.

Shaken by the blast, the youngster now refuses to sleep in her own bed, with the noise being so loud neighbours heard it from their gardens.

Samantha, 41, from Canvey, said: “Over the past year my daughter has had the typical nightmares that there are monsters under her bed.

“I popped into the shop and spotted this night light, which I thought could help. It was only £1 so I thought I’d give it a go. 

“I plugged it in and put her to bed about 7.30pm before going downstairs. It had only been half an hour when I heard a huge bang and a bright flash in the hallway, coming from Lottie’s bedroom.

“At first I thought my son had knocked over his light or something, but when I heard Lottie screaming absolutely petrified I know something worse had happened.

“I ran upstairs and could straight away smell burning plastic. I then saw the night light had exploded while it was in the wall, just one foot away from Lottie’s bed.

“She’s had to keep sleeping with me since it happened because she’s so scared on her own.”

Samantha is now reaching out to warn fellow families.

She added: “This could’ve been a lot more serious, and I wouldn’t live with myself if something worse had happened to someone else.

“If things had escalated,  there could’ve been a fire or it could’ve even been fatal. 

“The manager from the store did get in touch to reassure me she will take the product off the shelves. I know it’s only cheap, but I’m a single mum of four and some families are on a budget. I don’t want anyone else to go through this.”

A spokesperson from Poundland, said: “We’re not aware of any other issues regarding this item, but the customer has been in touch and we’re waiting for it to be returned so we can look at what happened.”

An Essex Trading Standards Spokesperson said: “Essex Trading Standards has been in touch with the consumer and we are in the process of acquiring further details to identify the product.”