A petition to ban ear piercing for babies has called for a legal age limit on the practice to protect young children from “severe pain and fear”.

The petition , launched by UK woman Susan Ingram, blasts “vain” parents who choose to pierce their children’s ears and urges people to pledge their support to stamping out underage ear piercing entirely.

“It is a form of child cruelty,” Ms Ingram writes. “Severe pain and fear is inflicted upon infants unnecessarily. It serves no purpose other than to satisfy the parent’s vanity. Other forms of physically harming children are illegal - this should be no different.