PARENTS have been warned by an MP to keep a close eye on their toddlers in babywalkers and other devices.

And Janet Anderson said she was speaking from personal experience.

She made the call after Trading Standards Officers questioned the safety of more than 250,000 babywalkers in common use in Britain.

The Rossendale and Darwen MP, whose area includes North Turton, is pressing the Government and local authorities to take urgent steps to establish whether 11 top selling brands are dangerous.

She said: "Parents must keep a close eye on young children at all times in such devices.

"I am speaking from personal experience, because when my own son James, now 20, was about a year old, he was jumping up and down in his travel cot when it disintegrated and he shot across the room.

"Luckily he was only shocked and a bit bruised, but it brought home to me how important it is to watch them carefully."

Trading Standards Officers are concerned about 11 brands, made by eight different companies, in Italy, Taiwan, Greece and China, but have been unable to persuade manufacturers to make changes.

Figures show that more than 22,000 children were hurt in accidents using babywalkers, between 1992 and 1996 - 18,000 of them under a year old.

Consumer Minister Nigel Griffiths, said he expected Trading Standards Officers to use their enforcement powers against unsafe babywalkers.

He understood that companies were making tests, but in some cases were disputing the allegations.

He said: "The advice we are giving to parents is never leave a child unattended in a babywalker. It's vital that if there are defects, tough action is taken."

Mrs Anderson said: "I shall be urging Mr Griffiths to keep a very close eye on the situation, and contacting Trading Standards Officers in the North-west about it.

"If there is a problem, with potentially dangerous brands in the region, we need to know about it so the appropriate action can be taken, and warnings given to parents."

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