Nine in ten 'hoverboards' examined by trading standards could explode or catch fire – here's how best to buy the 'must have' Christmas gadget
- Trading standards finds 15k of 17k 'hoverboards' are a fire risk
- Popular gadget set to be a top seller in the run-up to Christmas
- One owner saw his kitchen destroyed after device caught alight
Thousands of trendy hoverboards, popular with celebrities, have been seized by authorities in recent months over concerns they could explode or catch fire.
The so-called hoverboards – also known as self-balancing scooters - are set to be one of this year's most popular Christmas presents, but the internet is a minefield of cheap imports which could potentially destroy homes.
National Trading Standards said 15,000 of the 17,000 – or nine in ten - of the gadgets it has examined since October have been detained, mainly for having non-compliant electrical components that could explode or catch fire.
Fire risk: Many of the hoverboards which have flooded online are a fire risk, trading standards found. Pictured, Paul Hodkinson whose kitchen caught alight via one of the devices
It said there has been a 'huge spike' in the number of hoverboards flooding into the UK in recent weeks, destined to end up as Christmas gifts and additional staff were being trained to carry out testing.
In Deal, Kent, one hoverboard bought online by Paul Hodkinson caught alight while charging, causing some £25,000 worth of damage to his kitchen.
There have been other reports in which the devices have unexpectedly exploded or caught alight while charging.
Trading standards says many of the boards were found to have non-compliant plugs without fuses, which increase the risk of the device overheating, exploding or catching fire, and cut-off switches which failed when tested.
Chargers, cabling and batteries were also found to fail safety standards.
Many of the seized items carried apparently fake CE marking, and NTS advised that 'unfortunately consumers cannot rely on the CE mark as an indication that a hoverboard is safe'.
Last month Kent Trading Standards warned about dangerous replicas of hoverboards selling for hundreds of pounds cheaper than the normal price of £300 to £600 on auction sites and social media accounts.
Lord Toby Harris, Trading Standards chairman, said: 'Our teams at sea ports, postal hubs and airports have seen a significant spike in the number of unsafe hoverboards arriving at national entry points in recent weeks and are working around the clock to prevent dangerous items from entering the supply chain.
'We suspect that most of these products are being imported for onward sale domestically as Christmas approaches.'
Real hoverboard: Marty McFly in 1980s movie Back to the Future, which saw him on a 'hoverboard'
Consumer Minister Nick Boles said: 'Shoppers should think twice before choosing products from a site that does not appear genuine, and the checklist that National Trading Standards has produced is extremely useful.
'I urge anyone who suspects a hoverboard not to be genuine to report it to the Citizens Advice consumer helpline.'
It comes as £300,000 worth of unsafe goods were confiscated by trading standards at East Midlands Airport yesterday, including hoverboards. Most of these were destined for small internet sellers.
Popular: Hoverboards are set to be a popular gift this Christmas. Pictured, one for sale on online retailer Amazon
David Bull, head of Leicestershire County Council's trading standards service, said: 'We know, for example, these hover-boards are on a lot of Christmas wish-lists but some small online sellers are not ensuring they comply with UK and EU electrical safety standards.'
Although dubbed 'hoverboards' they are on two wheels. Users lean backwards and forwards to control it - but they can be tricky to use.
Earlier in the year, the Crown Prosecution Service stated that the hoverboards are illegal to ride in public.
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