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 05 July 2008 14:43 BST

Hamleys withdraws products over safety fears

Sunday, 19 Aug 2007 08:32
Excessive levels of lead have been found in children's jewellery

Health In Focus 

Toy store Hamleys has withdrawn two children's jewellery products from its stores and launched an inquiry into their sale after reports that they contained excessive levels of lead.

The Sunday Times found dangerous levels of lead after conducting tests on items bought in Hamleys, high street retailer Monsoon and in stalls in Oxford Street, Piccadily Circus and Camden market.

The newspaper found that a bracelet, imported from China and purchased from a Regent Street branch of the toy store, contained 93 per cent of lead. The UK limit for the presence of the metal in products is 0.1 per cent.

A spokesperson for Hamleys said: "Immediate action was obviously taken to remove these dangerous products from our shops as soon as we became aware of the problem.

"We would never ever knowingly sell toxic jewellery to customers and take the health and safety of our customers extremely seriously.

"We are urgently reviewing our quality assurance process."

Speaking to the paper, Dippal Manchanda, technical director of the Birmingham Assay Office which conducted the tests, said: "The findings from the samples submitted are worrying. Although there is no intention for the components to be sucked or chewed, [they could] cause major harm if a child were to put them in its mouth."

Monsoon Accessorize told the Times it regularly conducted safety checks on its jewellery and had received no complaints from customers about lead levels.

Last week American toy manufacturer Mattel withdrew 18 million toys manufactured in China over fears of excessive lead levels and loose magnets.
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