Trading Standards warning over unsafe child clothing sold in Leamington Spa outlet

Warwickshire County Council Trading Standards is warning the public about unsafe child clothing that could pose a strangulation/entrapment hazard, sold by Leamington Spa business Happyology.

The Service is working with the company to raise awareness of three items of clothing, designed for toddlers and young children and sold by the business (located at 123 Regent Street Leamington Spa) between September 2018 and March 2019.

All three items have decorative cords or tassels that could present a strangulation/entrapment hazard to a toddler or young child.

The items of clothing are:

• Hadley Knitted Top
• Ronnie Dress.
• Wilfred Baby Coat

Consumers who have purchased any of the affected products are advised to stop using them immediately and return them to any Happyology store for a refund, or remove the belt from the dress, cut the cord/tassel from the knitted top or cut off the ears from the baby coat.

Further details are available on the Happyology website: https://www.happyology.uk/pages/wghesk

Warwickshire County Councillor Andy Crump, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety said:

“Warwickshire Trading Standards works with local businesses to help ensure that the products they manufacture and sell are safe.”

*National accident statistics indicate that serious accidents involving cords and drawstrings on children’s clothing fall in to two main groups by age of child:

1) Younger children: entrapment of hood cords in playground equipment such as slides, resulting in fatalities.

2) Older children and young persons: entrapment of cords and strings from the waist and lower hems of garments in moving vehicles such as bus doors, ski lifts and bicycles resulting in severe injuries or death from being dragged along or run over by the vehicle.

Consumers can report unsafe products to Warwickshire Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice Consumer Service. Phone 03454 040506 or visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/tradingstandards