A dental nurse from Abergele, Conwy, was hospitalised after developing a potentially deadly infection from blisters caused by a pair of TK Maxx sandals she suspects had been worn by other customers. Hannah Jones, 25, bought the white and beige slip-on sandals for £14 on Friday, June 26, during a heatwave. She wore them for about 10 hours while out with friends the following day and noticed blisters on her feet when she returned home.
Blisters Led to Severe Swelling and Pain
Hannah applied a plaster to the blisters and went to work on Monday, June 29, but her feet became increasingly swollen, making walking difficult. After returning home, her mother drew circles around the affected areas to monitor the swelling, which grew to twice the normal size. Hannah woke up during the night in pain and collapsed when she tried to stand up. She was rushed to Glan Clwyd Hospital by her mother.
At the hospital, doctors performed an ECG and blood tests to check for sepsis. Hannah was diagnosed with cellulitis, a bacterial skin infection, and was told it could have progressed to sepsis if left untreated. She received intravenous treatment and was discharged after 18 hours, now required to rest and keep her feet elevated.
Shoes Not in a Box, Suspected Contamination
Hannah suspects the infection was caused by other customers trying on the sandals before her, as they were not sold in a box. She said: "A lot of people probably tried them on so in the future I would buy shoes that are in a box. It makes sense if multiple people have tried them on with no socks on." She has since thrown the sandals in the bin.
Hannah described her symptoms: "My whole body just started to ache and I got shivers. I thought I might have just caught something over the weekend. I got home and my mum was like, 'you are being dramatic.' I told her I am not and it was her idea to do the lines around them [the blisters]." She added: "The pain is the exact same so it is looking like I will have to go back in. They are constantly throbbing and red, it's horrible. When I stand up, I feel like my feet are going to explode because there is so much pressure in them."
Warning to Others
Hannah is urging others to wear socks when trying on shoes and to wash new footwear before wearing. She said: "Wear a pair of socks when you try them on. You don't think to wash a pair of shoes when you buy them. In future I'll wash them and if they feel a little bit uncomfortable, I will be taking them straight off. If you think you are being dramatic, you are not being dramatic. Trust your gut."
She emphasised the severity of her experience: "If I had thought to myself that I am being dramatic, they are only blisters, I could have ended up with sepsis. It could have threatened my life. You wouldn't think this would come from a pair of sandals." TK Maxx has been contacted for comment.
