Ninety hoverboards which 'could have exploded without warning' are destroyed

Thousands of pounds worth of hoverboards have been destroyed after officials found they posed a fire hazard.

Ninety hoverboards worth £7,500 imported from Hong Kong via Heathrow Airport were seized by Surrey trading standards and sent for safety testing.

The tests revealed they had faults which could cause them to explode without warning, including defective battery packs.

They were taken for destruction but during this process some caught fire, which trading standards said highlighted the potential dangers of the hoverboards.

A further 50 hoverboards have been impounded by trading standards for investigation.

Surrey County Council's Richard Walsh said: "Our focus is on protecting consumers and the swift actions of our trading standards officers have prevented a large consignment of potentially dangerous products ever going on sale."

Safety concerns have previously been raised over hoverboards and there has been a spate of reports of them exploding and catching fire. In one case, a family had a lucky escape after a hoverboard "exploded", sparking a fire which gutted their living room.

Anyone with concerns about a product they have seen for sale or have already bought should contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 03454 04 05 06.