Thousands of dangerous goods seized

DANGEROUS skin creams which could pose a health risk and escapable children’s playpens were among the thousands of dangerous items regularly intercepted at Birmingham Airport.

Lamps which could give electric shocks, jewellery with high levels of toxic lead and outdoor lights which, bizarrely, would only be safe to use indoors were among other products flagged.

In just 12 months Solihull’s Trading Standards had seized 2,288 unsafe items and 6,573 more which were deemed non-compliant as part of the Safety at Ports and Borders programme.

Figures since 2016 are even more startling, with officials having intercepted 23,537 unsafe products and 36,887 which fell short of standards.

This week it was agreed to continue the initiative, with £50,000 in government funding secured to carry out checks and prevent the items entering the marketplace.