Poisonous chemical found in toy dolls linked to cancer

Trading standards officers will be at Bescot Market in Walsall today hunting for dolls on sale, which contain chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects and infertility in men.

Officers first received complaints about these products early in 2013 and visited traders to ensure they were taken off sale. But they now fear that they were available to buy at the market last weekend.

The dolls have distinctive fruit shaped heads but Trading Standards Officers are also concerned about similar soft dolls wearing animal outfits or in a "crawling" pose wearing polka dot dresses.

Click: dangerous dolls - what you need to know

Click: mother from Walsall's fears over dangerous dolls

Walsall Council are calling for action to be taken over the potentially dangerous ‘fruit headed’ dolls which have been on sale in the Midlands.

A cabinet member said the council would be writing to to the EU and to the Chinese Government.

There's a warning tonight that children in the Midlands may have been given Christmas presents that contain a dangerous chemical.

It's been used to make a variety of dolls in China, and is said to be linked to cancer and birth defects if swallowed. ITV News Central correspondent Keith Wilkinson reports.

ITV News Central has seen some similar dolls to those being recalled by Trading Standards being sold online.

eBay says it follows local government legislation and does not permit the sale of ' illegal items.'

Yesterday it appeared similar looking dolls were being offered for sale through Amazon.

But Amazon say they are not available through them.

A web page we saw on the morning of December 30 has since been taken down.

Read: Potentially poisonous dolls bought this Christmas putting children at risk

Dr Ian Campbell, a GP in Nottingham, says that parents should take toys off children if they fear they could be the ones containing potentially poisonous plastics.

Trading Standards are warning about health risks about certain types of toy which have reportedly been on sale all over the country.

Read: Potentially poisonous dolls bought this Christmas putting children at risk

A GP from Nottingham has said it is "unacceptable" that a poisonous chemical has been found in toy dolls on sale in shops in the Midlands.

Dr Ian Campbell said: "I'm very concerned because there is no safe level of this chemical and we know that it causes problems with cancer, problems with sperm count with adult males and problems with the liver and kidneys.

"It's is unacceptable that children have been exposed to this chemical in this way."

The following article was first published on our website more than 11 months ago and is being widely shared at the moment.

If you think you have bought one of these dolls, or seen them on sale, contact our newsdesk centralnews@itv.com with a contact name and number and say where you you bought it or saw them on sale.

Dolls containing a poisonous chemical which can cause cancer, deformities in unborn babies and infertility in men have been found on sale in shops in the West Midlands.

Sandwell Trading Standards has received six complaints about the dolls which are imported from China. One complaint was from a mother who said her child became ill after playing with one of the dolls.

There are several designs of dolls affected, such as crawling dolls with a polka dot dress, baby dolls with a picture of an animals head on the dress and 'fruit-head' dolls, all are subject to a Europe-wide product recall.

The potentially lethal chemical contained in the dolls is phthalates, a chemical used to soften plastics.

Most of the dolls do not have a CE marking, used to prove the toy meets European safety regulations.

Councillor Ian Jones said the dolls were "potentially lethal for children" and urges anyone who has purchased a doll to return them immediately for a refund.

Fresh warnings have been issued over dolls containing a poisonous chemical which can cause cancer, deformities in unborn babies and infertility in men found to be on sale in shops in the West Midlands.

Solihull Trading Standards says it has received a complaint from a concerned member of the public.

Earlier this month Sandwell Trading Standards ceased many of the dolls from shops and markets in the Midlands and issued warnings to people.

There are several designs of affected dolls, including a crawling doll with a polka dot dress, a baby doll that comes in eight different outfits and four 'fruit-head' dolls each with a head shaped like a different type of fruit. All are subject to a Europe-wide product recall.

The potentially lethal chemical contained in the dolls is DEHP, a phthalate, which is used to soften plastics.

Most of the dolls do not have a CE marking, used to prove the toy meets European safety regulations.

Earlier this month Sandwell Trading Standards Manager Bob Charnley said:

"Dolls should have a CE mark on them to prove that they have been properly checked and comply with legislation.

"However, some have fake CE labelling on them. Anyone concerned should contact trading standards where the dolls can be thoroughly checked."