Warning issued over children's jewellery

Harmful amounts of heavy metals were discovered in children's jewellery bought online.

And parents are being urged to take extra care if buying jewellery online for children from a retailer they do not know.

West Sussex Trading Standards is issuing the warning as part of Child Safety Week (June 5-12).

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One item of children’s jewellery the team purchased online was found to contain more than 50 times the legal limit of lead levels.

This dangerous volume of metal can leach into the child’s skin and enter their bloodstream.

Trading Standards examined nine other shop-bought jewellery items. All tested as satisfactory.

West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Safer, Stronger Communities, Debbie Kennard, said: “Take your time to do your research before buying any jewellery online, especially for a child.

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“If in doubt then make sure you buy from a retailer you know and trust. It is even better if you can inspect the item first-hand. If you can, buy or bid for new items which are in their original packaging. This also means they don’t carry a hygiene risk.”

Also as part of Child Safety Week, Trading Standards is:

- warning new parents of the dangers of nappy sacks. It follows a number of babies suffocating on the sacks in recent years. Parents are being urged to keep the sacks out a child’s reach at all times and avoid leaving them in cots, prams or buggies.

- advising catering businesses about their legal obligation to inform customers about specific allergens in their meals. Any customers who are refused allergen information should contact Trading Standards on 03454 040506 or visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/TSreport.

The Trading Standards team can be followed on Twitter at @WSCCTS. They will be posting special safety messages throughout Child Safety Week.

Child Safety Week is run annually by the Child Accident Prevention Trust. It aims to draw attention to the risks of accidents suffered by children and how to prevent them from happening.