NATIONWIDE checks are being carried out by Asda after a Cwmbran mum discovered a three-inch needle in a shawl she bought for her two-week-old daughter.

Zoe Cox, from Coed Eva, found the sewing needle when she unpacked the shawl, bought at the Asda store in Cwmbran on Saturday.

The 29-year-old mum-of-three said she couldn't believe it when she saw the sharp object embedded among the fluffy ivory blanket, which was destined for her newborn daughter, Millie Olivia.

She said: "I was going to use it straight away but as I tried to unfold it, it was all stuck together.

"At first I thought it was a piece of plastic holding the layers together but as I looked closer I was horrified to see a three-inch needle running through the shawl.

"If it hadn't have been holding the layers together and was embedded in the shawl I could have put it on Millie and pushed it into her when I was cuddling her. Anything could have happened."

Ms Cox informed Trading Standards of her alarming find and they are now investigating.

She said: "I just can't believe it. I don't want it to happen to anyone else."

Mike Jarrett, store manager at Asda in Cwmbran, said: "We have checked all our stock in store and in the warehouse and it seems to have been an isolated incident."

Items in all Asda stores are also being checked to make sure it does not happen again.

Mr Jarrett is keen to visit Ms Cox personally to reassure her they are doing all they can to investigate how it happened.

He said: "We'd like to apologise to Ms Cox for the obvious distress this has caused. As a gesture of goodwill I will be taking her a bunch of flowers and a £30 gift voucher so she can buy her child some new George outfits."

Andrew Meaney, senior fair trading officer for Torfaen, said: "The needle appeared to come from a single needle machine so there is a good chance this was a one-off."