Shakers for toddlers are stopped over safety fears

WOODEN egg shakers handed out to tens of thousands of toddlers by the Scottish Book Trust are being withdrawn amid safety concerns.

The musical instruments were given to children aged between one and two by health visitors as part of free Bookbug bags which aim to encourage reading.

However, there have been some reports of egg shakers being broken due to small knots in the wooden shell becoming loose.

The Scottish Book Trust said it is removing the shaker, pictured, from future Bookbug Toddler Bags as a ‘precautionary measure’.

Parents who already have a bag with the instrument in it are advised to dispose of it if they have safety concerns.

In a statement on its website, the Scottish Book Trust said: ‘A very small number of incidents (four out of 45,000 distributed) have been reported to us of egg shakers being broken due to small knots in the wooden shell becoming loose.

‘Although the egg shakers have passed British Safety Standard tests, a very small number of eggs will contain knots. These could be problematic if they came loose whilst in a toddler’s hands.’

Parents who wish to continue to use the shaker are advised it must be used with adult supervision.

The Trust’s Marc Lambert said: ‘We must emphasise that we have discontinued the egg shakers as a precautionary measure.’