Blade found in twins' toy present

A blade has been found in the packaging of a Christmas present bought for one-year-old twins.

The VTech Load and Go Car Carrier had been bought for Sheffield twins George and Ruby Badger by their grandparents.

Their mother Ellen opened it for them on Christmas Day and found the blade hidden between two layers of the packaging.

VTech expressed "regret and concern" over the incident, and said it had started an investigation.

Mrs Badger told BBC News: "I just can't believe that a blade would be in a children's toy.

"My little girl certainly would have put it straight into her mouth if she had picked it up."

The twin's father Andrew said: "It's a razor sharp blade and putting that in your mouth, the damage that that could have done to their gums, their tongue, even if they had swallowed. It doesn't bear thinking about.

"We are reviewing the packaging design for all our products to ensure that in future, the packaging will guard more effectively against any similar incident"
VTech statement

"I expect VTech to come forward with a thorough explanation of how this happened and again a thorough explanation of how they are going to stop this happening again in the future."

In a statement VTech said: "We wish to express our regret and concern regarding this incident, which we are now in the process of investigating.

"Neither the VTech factory in which the toy concerned was produced nor the packaging material supplier uses knives with such blades.

"Blade cutters are strictly forbidden in the factory and workers are supplied with corded, fixed blade knives for cutting work, precisely in order to prevent any loose blades entering the manufacturing and packaging process.

"Since the packaging concerned is of an open box type, the blade may have been accidentally introduced to the packaging at some point after leaving the factory.

"We are also reviewing the packaging design for all our products to ensure that in future, the packaging will guard more effectively against any similar incident."

Sheffield Trading Standards said people should be extra vigilant when buying toys for young children and should remove the packaging themselves, rather than let the children open it.

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