Dangerous toy firm fined (From Stroud News and Journal)

Dangerous toy firm fined

A COMPANY has been ordered to pay nearly £7,000 by Stroud magistrates for supplying dangerous toys to a town shop.

Cheshire company Bear Necessities Import Distributors admitted breaking toy safety regulations by importing and supplying the toys to AJ's Pound Superstore in High Street.

After Wednesday's hearing Roger Marles, head of Gloucestershire County Council trading standards service, said: "Importers of toys that are aimed at or are suitable for young children must ensure that they meet stringent legal safety standards because young children are particularly vulnerable.

"Businesses found to be breaching toy safety regulations will find themselves before the courts."

One toy discovered by trading standards in a pre-Christmas survey was a Toy Necessities Learn n Fun Counting Stand - a wooden and plastic abacus with multi-coloured beads.

Tests found the beads could choke a child and were covered in paint that contained excess toxic lead and chromium.

Although labelled as not suitable for children under three the service believed the toy would be attractive to young children.

Magistrates agreed it was aimed at children under three despite the warnings and were critical of the company's reliance on a single test report three years before import.

They fined the company £2,000 on each of two charges and ordered it to pay costs of £2771.