Children are at risk of serious injury from dangerous and poor-quality imported “fidget spinners” – the UK’s most recent toy craze – according to an investigation by BBC1’s Watchdog.
A sample of the plastic gadgets were tested by experts and failed basic toy safety standards, with some found to have edges sharp enough to puncture skin and even eyes.
Wednesday evening’s programme follows warnings about the popular toys by trading standards officers, as unscrupulous manufacturers seek to cash in on the phenomenon. Many are being sold cheaply on market stalls and at car boot sales.
The palm-sized spinners consist of a ball bearing that sits in a three-pronged plastic device that can be flicked and spun. Some schools in the UK and the US have banned them, though some teachers believe they can help children concentrate – especially those with ADHD.
Watchdog interviewed parents who were alarmed by the poor quality of the toys. One parent described finding a large shard of metal protruding from the item, which subsequently drew blood.
The Watchdog team purchased five fidget spinners from local shops and consulted a toy safety expert, who concluded that none of them should have been sold as they failed safety tests.
It also bought three fidget spinners from eBay – marketed as toys for children but with the appearance of a “death star” or shuriken, which is classed as an offensive weapon in the UK.
These were assessed by blades expert Sarah Hainsworth, professor of materials and forensic engineering at the University of Leicester. She tested the toys by stabbing them into a tomato (used as a substitute for an eye) and pork skin (used as a substitute for human skin). All three spinners punctured the tomato; two pierced the pork skin.
EBay said: “These items are absolutely not permitted and will be immediately removed. We’d like to thank the programme for bringing these items to our attention.”
National trading standards officials have advised parents to look for the CE mark on packaging, which means items have been tested to European standards. They are also urged to buy the toys from a reputable seller and never for children under three as spinners contain small parts that could present a choking hazard.
A sample of the plastic gadgets were tested by experts and failed basic toy safety standards, with some found to have edges sharp enough to puncture skin and even eyes.
Wednesday evening’s programme follows warnings about the popular toys by trading standards officers, as unscrupulous manufacturers seek to cash in on the phenomenon. Many are being sold cheaply on market stalls and at car boot sales.
The palm-sized spinners consist of a ball bearing that sits in a three-pronged plastic device that can be flicked and spun. Some schools in the UK and the US have banned them, though some teachers believe they can help children concentrate – especially those with ADHD.
Watchdog interviewed parents who were alarmed by the poor quality of the toys. One parent described finding a large shard of metal protruding from the item, which subsequently drew blood.
The Watchdog team purchased five fidget spinners from local shops and consulted a toy safety expert, who concluded that none of them should have been sold as they failed safety tests.
It also bought three fidget spinners from eBay – marketed as toys for children but with the appearance of a “death star” or shuriken, which is classed as an offensive weapon in the UK.
These were assessed by blades expert Sarah Hainsworth, professor of materials and forensic engineering at the University of Leicester. She tested the toys by stabbing them into a tomato (used as a substitute for an eye) and pork skin (used as a substitute for human skin). All three spinners punctured the tomato; two pierced the pork skin.
EBay said: “These items are absolutely not permitted and will be immediately removed. We’d like to thank the programme for bringing these items to our attention.”
National trading standards officials have advised parents to look for the CE mark on packaging, which means items have been tested to European standards. They are also urged to buy the toys from a reputable seller and never for children under three as spinners contain small parts that could present a choking hazard.