A child could be left with life-changing injuries after she was hit on the head by a falling mirror when shopping with her mother.

Sinead Skilton was struck by the 2m-long mirror, weighing 70kg, as she shopped with her mother in Jane Norman in Clarence Street on January 2, last year.

The five-year-old’s mother, Julie Jarman, now suffers flashbacks of the incident, Richmond Magistrates’ Court heard on Thursday, July 28.

The national store, which went into administration on June 27 this year, was fined £49,200 by the court.

Prosecutor David Fellows told the court the mirror, which was designed to be moved around the store, had been incorrectly fitted.

Sinead suffered injuries to her skull, face and teeth and now suffers regular headaches, wets the bed and has become clingier with her parents, the court heard.

Mr Fellows said: “She sustained injuries that were not life-threatening but could be life-changing. The injuries could have been far worse.”

The court heard that on January 26, 2007, an almost identical incident occurred in the Crawley branch, injuring a three-year-old.

The prosecutor said despite this earlier incident the company failed to take precautions in the remaining 64 stores across the country.

During the hearing, Mr Fellows read a statement from Sinead’s mother saying: “I worry about how it has affected her, how it will it affect her.”

The company pleaded guilty to four counts of breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act and was fined £49,200 and was ordered to pay costs of £8,233 to Kingston Council.