A SHIPMENT of potentially deadly fluffy toys has been seized at Felixstowe port after checks found they could pose a threat to children.The consignment was prevented from reaching UK high streets by trading standards officers from Suffolk County Council after tests revealed serious safety failures in the products.

A SHIPMENT of potentially deadly fluffy toys has been seized at Felixstowe port after checks found they could pose a threat to children.

The consignment was prevented from reaching UK high streets by trading standards officers from Suffolk County Council after tests revealed serious safety failures in the products.

The officers singled out the toys for checking when they were being brought into the country in time for Christmas.

The tests have since led the Leicester-based importer to agree not to supply them for sale to the public.

The toys, called Russko Plush Flumpz, were checked for safety and labelling issues. Four types of the 15cm cuddly toys which were tested - the sheep, lion, dog and cow - and all failed.

In each case the eyes either broke or fell out - presenting a major choking hazard to children.

They also failed on labelling because the labels stated that they were not recommended for children under the age of three, even though the law notes that any cuddly or soft toys, because they are so appealing to young children, must be safe for them to use.

Councillor Joanna Spicer, the councillor with responsibility for public protection, said: “This seizure highlights precisely why these laws are in place and why we make these checks.

“When we buy toys, especially as Christmas gifts, we trust they are safe to give to children. Our trading standards officers stopped these cuddly toys before they reached the high street this Christmas. The toys were tested and have been stopped while the importer either makes them safe or destroys them.”