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The girl, aged 5, was left covered in blisters after coming into contact with the growth of Hogweed near her home. Her mother, Rebecca Barnes, described how her daughter Roma had to be taken to hospital in Salisbury after coming in contact with the weed. Mrs Barnes described how both her daughter Roma and son Reggie, aged seven, had touched the sap on the plant and both came out in blisters.

Mrs Barnes’s son was also taken to the hospital.

If the sap had have gotten into the eyes of the children they would have been blinded for life.

A River Trust expert warned: “It is, without a shadow of a doubt, the most dangerous plant in Britain.”

Giant hogweed can tower at 23ft tall like a Triffid, and children are attracted to it because the hollow stems of the plant make ideal peashooters.

It produces a toxic sap that reacts with sunlight and burns the skin, causing permanent blisters and scars. It can also even lead to permanent blindness.

Hogweed is not native to the UK.

It originates in the Caucus mountains and in central Asia.

It can be found throughout much of the UK, especially on riverbanks where its seeds are transported by the water.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, a River Trust expert warned: “It is, without a shadow of a doubt, the most dangerous plant in Britain.”

Hogweed’s toxic sap reacts with sunlight and burns the skin.

This can be very dangerous if it gets into the eyes, causing permanent blindness.

Horticulturalists have warned that the plant seems to be flourishing this year.

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Mrs Barnes said “It’s not commonly warned about which I think it needs to be.

“On public footpaths, there need to be pictures of it because if the sap gets into your eyes it can cause permanent blindness.”

About her children’s prognosis, she said: “I’m just praying that the scarring isn’t left because it can obviously leave really bad scars.”

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