A young girl was left with a rubber band growing into the flesh of her arm after nobody noticed it digging into her skin.

The four-year-old, known only by her nicknamed Le Le, was brought into hospital by her parents after they spotted the red ring looping her arm, reports the Metro.

They said they did not realise that the otherwise innocent-looking elastic band had become imbedded in her right arm, with her flesh and skin quickly growing around it.

Le Le, from Linquan county in China’s Eastern Anhui Province, was first taken to doctors by her grandparents – who she lives with – at the beginning of the year.

However experts could not identify the condition, diagnosing it as an infection or allergies.

Le Le’s mum and dad finally decided to take her to the Children’s Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine in Hangzhou, capital of neighbouring Zhejiang Province, when the ‘condition’ worsened.

Once there, Doctor Ye Wensong told them the ‘bangle-like’ growth around her arm was likely caused by an elastic band.

The parents reportedly did not believe the doctor’s theory but agreed to let their daughter stay in the hospital for further analysis and treatment.

Scans of her right arm revealed what appeared to be a foreign body under her flesh, and the rubber band was revealed during surgery shortly afterwards. Le Le is continuing her recovery in hospital.

Doctor Ye said he had only seen a similar case once before in his 20 years as a medic, suggesting that the child’s grandparents likely missed the fact that the girl had picked up an elastic band and worn it around her arm.

He said: ‘Some elders also like to tie thin red strings around children’s necks, wrists or fingers for good luck, but the practice comes with risks.

‘Thin strings and elastic bands can easily be concealed in the flaps of the child’s skin. ‘Some young kids are still too young to talk, and the band goes unnoticed by their guardians.’