A science-mad Prestwich schoolboy was forced to undergo life-saving surgery after swallowing 54 magnet toys to see if he’d become “magnetic”.
And now his mum is raising awareness of the risks and dangers.
When 12-year-old Rhiley Morrison chomped down the small magnetic balls on two separate occasions, he was simply just curious to see if it would make metal stick to his tummy, and what they would look like when he passed them, but when the metal balls didn’t make an appearance four days later, the worried lad confessed to his mum hat he swallowed two “by accident”.
After she rushed him to hospital, doctors x-rayed the boy and were stunned to discover 54 of the powerful magnet toys in his stomach and bowel.
Fearing the magnets may burn through tissue or vital organs and go on to cause potentially-fatal internal damage, doctors rushed him to surgery where the objects were scooped out during a six-hour operation, and now that he’s recovering at home, his mum – Paige Ward – is sharing the story of Rhiley’s 16-day hospital ordeal.
ADVERTISEMENT
She is keen to educate parents about the potential dangers of these toys, and urge them to be binned before it happens again.
“I was gobsmacked, just speechless when I heard the number he’d swallowed.” Paige said.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The doctors guessed around 25-30 from the x-ray, but when he came out of surgery they said they got 54.
“I think what made it harder is that I just didn’t understand how or why he would swallow that many, [but] Rhiley is massively into science [and] he loves experiments, [so] he eventually admitted ‘I tried to stick magnets to me, I wanted to see if this copper would stick to my belly while the magnets were in’.
“It’s just so silly, but he’s a child and that’s what kids do.
ADVERTISEMENT
“He also thought it would be fun seeing them come out the other end.”
Kennedy News & Media
Rhiley – who has autism and ADHD – asked for magnet toys for Christmas and bought the additional £4.99 magnetic balls from a corner shop with money he’d saved up.
It’s believed that Rhiley swallowed the first batch on 1st January, and the second lot on 4th January.
But when none of the magnets passed through his system, he confessed to his mum at 2am on 5th January and she quickly took him to Salford Royal Hospital, but following the x-rays and discovery of just how many of the incredibly-powerful magnets were inside him, doctors sent the pair by ambulance to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
Rhiley was then placed on the list for emergency surgery and had a keyhole procedure to remove the magnets.
ADVERTISEMENT
Due to complications related to ingesting the powerful magnets, Rhiley spent 10 days unable to move without vomiting green liquid caused by his bowel leaking, and he was also unable to eat or go to the toilet and needed to be tube-fed with a catheter inserted.
Kennedy News & Media
“It was heartbreaking watching him go through all that, just horrible,” Paige continued.
“I think it’s especially difficult because of COVID meaning he couldn’t have any visitors [but] it was just horrible to see him not able to sit up and being so sick every time he moved because this fluid was sloshing around inside him.
“I’d managed to hold it together all the time, but it wasn’t nice seeing him in that much pain.
“When they tried to put the catheter in, he had pins and needles through his body and told me ‘I feel like my insides are going to explode’. I remember thinking, I can’t believe all this is happening because of magnets.
ADVERTISEMENT
“When I went into hospital, I thought ‘God, they’re going to think how has she let him do that?’ [but] a trauma nurse came in and told me she deals with kids like Rhiley who’ve eaten magnets all the time, and another doctor said he’d seen a child who’d swallowed two who ended up with part of their bowel removed, so Rhiley was very lucky with 54.”
Rhiley was discharged on 21st January, and was given a week-long course of antibiotics to stave off infection.
“I got rid of all the magnet toys after this,” Paige admitted.
“He is autistic, but he’s quite high functioning and he knows what he’s doing, he knows right from wrong [but] he’s just made a mistake and unfortunately it was one that could have cost him a lot.”
Kennedy News & Media
To ensure no other family goes through the same experience, Paige is bravely sharing Rhiley’s story, adding: “I don’t want other kids or parents going through that.
ADVERTISEMENT
“When he did it, I thought it was just him, he’s just been silly and done it, but the surgeon said they see this all the time.
“Magnets aren’t toys and they shouldn’t be sold as toys.
“My message to other parents is to just put them in the bin, don’t buy them in the first place. I don’t care how nice they look and how many children ask for them because they’re ‘cool’, they’re just not worth it. The surgeon said that if Rhiley hadn’t told me that day that he’d swallowed the magnets, they could’ve clashed and ripped his bowel, and he could have ended up with sepsis.
“Rhiley was lucky, but some kids aren’t and won’t be.
“I’m not sure why he told me, he wasn’t in any pain, I just thank God he did.
ADVERTISEMENT
“He’s taken all of his magnets out of his room now and he won’t entertain them [because it] was a really traumatic lesson for both of us.”
Katrina Phillips – Chief Executive of the Child Accident Prevention Trust – said: “Rhiley was lucky to be treated so quickly and avoid more serious injury [as] we’ve heard of increasing numbers of children swallowing magnets and we know doctors are worried.
“If you look online, you’ll find lots of magnetic toys but the trouble is, there’s no way to tell if they are safe or 10 times stronger than the legal limit [and] many parents assume that, if they can buy something, it must be safe.
“Paige is doing a great service for other families by speaking out about these hidden dangers.”
Kennedy News & Media
What are the risks of swallowing magnetic balls?
If a child swallows small magnetic balls, magnets effectively burn holes in their intestines or bowels.
The magnets stick together internally and through organs and tissues, and can cut off blood supply causing tissue to die.
They are much more complex than button batteries to extract.
The child will need emergency surgery, then, depending on the severity of the injuries, they may need numerous operations, bowel resection and time in paediatric intensive care.
You can find more information and advice via the Child Accident Prevention Trust here.
You can also join in Paige’s fight to ban the sale of magnet toys and ball magnets by showing your support and signing her petition on change.org here.
News
Breakaway competition R360 issues statement after rubgy unions warn players of sanctions
Danny Jones
Prospective breakaway competition R360 have issued a response to the joint statement from multiple countries’ rugby unions, which has warned players of sanctions should they choose to join the new league.
While the vast majority seemingly remain opposed to the new concept, backing from certain key figures has resulted in the likes of the UK and Irish rugby unions, along with other key nations, sharing their unified stance against the potential rival.
Put in the simplest terms, the R360 model is rugby’s equivalent of what the proposed European ‘Super League’ was for football just a few years ago, with similar questions being raised around how it could jeopardise existing contests, player wellbeing and more.
Now, though, the new format – which has been largely backed and developed by former World Cup winner with England, Mike Tindall – delivered its own reply on Wednesday, 8 October.
Shared publicly to the press, the alternative tournament wrote: “It’s not always easy to embrace new opportunities, but as we’ve seen throughout history, it’s essential for any sport to grow. So many players love what R360 can do for them and the game, and we can’t wait to kick off next year.
“Player welfare is one of the key reasons for creating our global series, which will greatly reduce player load and capture the attention of a new generation of fans globally. We want to work collaboratively as part of the global rugby calendar.
“The series is designed with bespoke schedules for men’s and women’s teams and R360 will release all players for international matches, as written into their contracts. Our philosophy is clear – if players want to play for their country, they should have that opportunity. Why would the unions stand in their way?
“We look forward to submitting to the World Rugby Council for sanctioning next summer as planned.”
At present, R360 is due to hold its inagural season this time next year, with eight new male teams and four women’s sides expected to get underway from October 2026 onwards.
In addition to more lucrative contracts like those promised in the IPL (Indian Premier League) cricket, LIV Golf and the aforementioned albeit failed Super League, R360 is also set to offer a reduced playing schedule but one that would still tempt athletes away from their current teams to new franchises.
The national rugby unions of New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Ireland, England, Scotland, France and Italy have released the following statement on the proposed R360 competition ⬇️#IrishRugby
Although they have assured player care is an utmost priority, their health and fitness is one of my concerns put forward by the total eight rubgy unions who have urged current pros to stay away from the breakaway competition.
In case you haven’t seen the statement release by England, Ireland and Scotland, as well as France, Italy, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, it begins by “urging extreme caution for players and support staff considering joining the proposed R360 competition.”
Assuring that they welcome “investment and innovation in rugby”, they feel this particular idea won’t improve the sport but could instead “fragment or weaken it.”
Having assessed the proposals supposed value/addition to the “rugby’s global ecosystem”, it seems the fear is that the outcome will be a “net negative to the game”, with little to no detail as to how it can run alongside existing fixtures, assure proper management of player welfare and more.
As for Wales, despite opting not to put their name to the open letter itself, they have stated publicly: “The Welsh Rugby Union supports this statement, and we’re considering changes we may need to make to qualification rules in Wales as part of ongoing analysis following our recent consultation process.”
The statement continues: “The R360 model, as outlined publicly, rather appears designed to generate profits and return them to a very small elite, potentially hollowing out the investment that national unions and existing leagues make in community rugby, player development, and participation pathways.”
It seems there is deep concern for how it could affect grassroots and the international rugby too, not just league and union, and have failed to full explain or help key organisations “better understand their business and operating model.”
Most notably, they sign off by adding: “Each of the national unions will therefore be advising men’s and women’s players that participation in R360 would make them ineligible for international selection.”
What do you make of the whole debate – do you like the current schedule/format as it is, or do you think there’s room for a new chapter in the rugby world?
Passengers warned of ‘disruption’ ahead of more Bee Network bus strikes this weekend
Emily Sergeant
Bus services across Greater Manchester will be disrupted later this weekend as drivers from two companies stage strike action.
In what is the latest chapter in a long-running dispute, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) says it has had confirmation that staff from two operators, Stagecoach and Metroline, will go ahead with further planned strikes this weekend.
If this is the first you’re hearing of the upcoming industrial action, 2,000 workers who were employed by Stagecoach, Metroline Manchester, and First Bus Rochdale – each of which are firms among those that make up the bus part of the Bee Network – walked out in a number of co-ordinated strikes earlier this month amid an ongoing pay dispute.
Unite the Union said each of the firms are ‘highly profitable’ and it’s therefore ‘disappointing’ that workers are being denied a fair wage.
In this case, Unite has confirmed that drivers at First have called off further action after voting to accept a revised pay offer.
Passengers are being warned of ‘disruption’ ahead of more Bee Network bus strikes this weekend / Credit: TfGM
However, both Stagecoach and Metroline staff have opted to proceed with strike action onFriday 10 October, Saturday 11 October, and Monday 13 October.
This means that around 190 services, including some dedicated school buses, will not run on strike days, and TfGM is therefore advising everyone to ‘check before they travel’ and allow extra time to make their journey.
Bus services in Tameside, Trafford, and Stockport are not expected to run, and some services in South Manchester, parts of the city centre, and Rochdale will also be impacted.
Many bus services will continue to run ‘as usual’, however, and this includes services such as the Free Bus in Manchester city centre, as well as the majority of buses in Bolton, Bury, Salford, and Wigan.
The strikes are the latest in an ongoing dispute over pay / Credit: TfGM
“While we are pleased that planned industrial action by First staff has been called off, we encourage Stagecoach, Metroline, and Unite to continue discussions to avert further strike action,” commented Danny Vaughan, who is the Chief Network Officer at TfGM.
“We’ll continue to keep passengers informed and support them to make journeys wherever possible. We encourage everyone to check the latest status of their service before they travel, leave plenty of time for their journey and to get in touch if they have any questions.”
Unite has indicated that further industrial action will also happen on Saturday 18, Thursday 23 and Friday 24 October.
Emily Sergeant -
9th February 2021 
