27 January 2012 Last updated at 16:04 ET

Cheshire woman's fears over leaking PIP implants

Joanna Van Rooyen said she was in intensive constant pain

A Cheshire woman says she is terrified after being told her PIP breast implants have ruptured and are leaking.

Joanna Van Rooyen, 28, from Middlewich had breast implants done at Surgicare in Northenden, Manchester, in 2007.

The rupture was confirmed on Friday at a scan at NHS Leighton Hospital following a referral from her GP, said Mrs Van Rooyen.

"I was crying my eyes out when they broke the news to me because made me realise how serious it is," she said.

'Invading me'

"I just want them out as soon as possible now. I am really scared. I feel like something is invading me and I have no control over it."

The mother-of-two paid over £5,000 for the implants. She said she had been suffering "intensive constant pain" which had resulted in a spell in hospital late last year when she heard the news about the PIP scare on Facebook.

She went to her doctor and was referred for a scan which confirmed the rupture and leak.

Mrs Van Rooyen went to a private clinic, Sandon House in Preston, on the same day and booked to have the implants removed and replaced on 9 February.

PIP implants

• PIP implants were banned in 2010
• They contain industrial silicone which is not meant to be inside human bodies and has a higher risk of rupturing
• An estimated 400,000 women are believed to have the implants worldwide

She said: "I wanted Surgicare to remove and replace them but they said they were charging for replacement implants. I felt they were fobbing me off and I just want to get it sorted as soon as possible.

"I was really worried about finding the money for the procedure but my mum says she will pay for it because my health is more important than anything."

'Very nervous'

She added: "I feel better knowing I have a date for the operation although I am very nervous."

Surgicare was unavailable for comment, but according to the company's website it will remove implants free of charge, but it is charging between £2,500 and £3,000 to replace them.

The founder of the French firm Poly Implant Prothese, Jean-Claude Mas, which manufactured the implants, was arrested on Thursday.

His lawyer, Yves Haddad, said he was charged with "involuntary injuries" during a hearing and released on bail pending further investigation.

The NHS estimates 40,000 women in the UK have had PIP implants.