Holly Jane Harbottle, pictured, 19, says she has to wear a wig after 'faulty' hair extensions 'left her with a huge bald patch'

A student said she has been left 'looking like a burns victim' due to botched hair extensions causing a 'huge bald patch' in her blonde locks.

Holly Jane Harbottle says her mother treated her to the £170 hairdo to combat her anxiety problems - but now she has been left even more depressed after the allegedly faulty extensions caused 'clumps of hair to fall out'.

The 19-year-old said she now has to wear a wig and is scared to leave the house.

But the hairdresser who fitted the extensions claimed Miss Harbottle was at fault for the damage because she 'didn't care for them properly'.

Miss Harbottle, from Chester-le-Street, Durham, said: 'I can't stop crying because she's ruined my hair. I'm afraid to even leave the house because I look terrible.

'This was supposed to be something that gave me my confidence back but instead it's just made things worse. I hate it.

'She was recommended to me by a friend but right from the start, it didn't seem right. She was really rude when she came round to the house to do it.

'She got out this rusty-looking set of straighteners and was in and out in under an hour. She didn't give me any advice at all. It was a new experience for me and it was horrible.

Miss Harbottle said the extensions 'ruined' her hair and caused 'clumps' to fall out, pictured

The beauty student, pictured right with the extensions, said her own hair came out when she removed the beauty product

'We paid for 22 inches but that's definitely not what we got. I've never had extensions before and I can't afford to have them done again.

'She's absolutely ruined my hair. I got in touch with her within a week to complain that a couple of the extensions had come out but she just said it wasn't anything to worry about.

'I've got bad anxiety. I thought extensions would help boost my confidence. It's had the opposite effect. In some of the photos, I look like a burns victim.

'I cried for hours while my mum [Andrea, 46] took the remaining clotted s*** out of my hair. Now I have to wear a wig.'

Miss Harbottle, a beauty student, contacted the hairdresser again this week as the problems with her extensions worsened.

She took several shocking pictures showing the extent of the damage, and claims other customers who have used the same person have come forward with similar stories.

Miss Harbottle, pictured wearing the extensions, said she now 'bursts into tears' whenever she looks in the mirror

The hairdresser who put in the extensions, pictured, claims Miss Harbottle did not care for them properly

Miss Harbottle said: 'She didn't put them in in a straight line. They're all over the place and that's how they've got clotted.

'My hair is in poorer condition now then it was before she fitted the extensions. It was falling out within days and when I washed it it was all matted and horrible.

'I have messaged her numerous times and she just makes no sort of effort to try and come and sort it out. She told me to use argan oil and that made it worse.

'My mum is really upset by it too. Every time I look in the mirror I just burst into tears.'

Miss Harbottle said she intends to visit the Citizens' Advice Bureau to see if she can report the hairdresser, from Sunderland, to Trading Standards.

The hairdresser said she had had been forced to remove her business page from Facebook after receiving threats.

Miss Harbottle, pictured, claims she has received little help from the hairdresser

The hairdresser said: 'It's absolutely ridiculous. I done her hair over five months ago. It was September 22. The first week there was a couple that came out.

'I said to keep an eye on it and that if any more came out, I would come round and take a look at it. I've heard nothing else until last week.

'She sent me the pictures and I said I needed to come out and have a look. She asked me what would happen then and I said I'd remove them for her. Next thing I know she's put some stuff on Facebook.

'I was getting inundated with abuse from people so I had to take the page down.

'Then on Monday I saw that her mum had actually cut bits of her hair out, for which there was no reason.

'It would have taken a few hours, but I could have taken them out.'

She added: 'The problem is, she hasn't looked after them from the start. Extensions have got to be looked after.

'They've got to be pushed through, separated, and maintenance checked. She wouldn't pay for that.

'I told her to use a soft brush, no conditioner on the roots. She's not been in touch for five months and then, all of a sudden, this.

'I don't see why I should have taken them out for free when it's down to her not looking after them.

'Extensions don't just go like that. I've got plenty of happy customers. If somebody's not looking after something, it's not down to me.

'I was quite willing to go out and look at it last week. If she'd rang me before that, I'd have gone out.'