More than 1,200 hoverboards have been declared unsafe after being seized at the Port of Felixstowe.

Ipswich Star: Hoverboard sezied by Suffolk Trading Standards officersHoverboard sezied by Suffolk Trading Standards officers (Image: Archant)

Suffolk Trading Standards are warning people about ongoing risks with hoverboards following the new seizures.

The county’s Imports Surveillance Team has stopped six consignments of these products being imported through Felixstowe.

It examined 1,422 boards, declaring 1,247 unsafe.

Last December trading standards’ Ports and Border team detained over 18,000 balance scooters from 75 separate consignments at the Port of Felixstowe.

On inspection all scooters were assessed as being unsafe due to a range of hazards including faulty battery charger cut-off switches, the cabling, and unsafe chargers.

A further 16 consignments were examined at other UK border points, including the airports with over 2,000 items being assessed as unsafe.

Officers also seized 14 balance scooters before Christmas which were on sale in an Ipswich town centre shop at the ‘bargain’ price of £270.

The scooters were “non-compliant” under consumer safety legislation because the plug was a two-pin with no fuse, the user manual was not written in clear English, and there were no manufacture/importer details on the product, user manual or packaging.

Councillor Matthew Hicks, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for environment and public protection said: “When shopping for electrical goods people will naturally look for a bargain but the product could be of poor quality, a cheap copy, or made to look like a well-known brand.

“Be aware that these cheaper copies may contain unsafe, incorrect or faulty parts that can overheat or break just days after purchase.

“Suffolk Trading Standards work tirelessly to ensure the safety of our residents. These latest interventions by the imports team working at the Port of Felixstowe show the important role played by officers in protecting people, across the country, from unsafe products”

If you have purchased one of the scooters pictured or something similar, or if you have an electrical device that you suspect may be unsafe, Trading Standards advice is to stop using it immediately. Do not charge the product and report the matter to Suffolk Trading Standards on 03454 040506.