Warning over 'dangerous' fake Labubu dolls

North Tyneside Trading Standards said the fake dolls "posed a serious choking hazard" to children

Thousands of fake Labubu dolls dangerous to children have been seized.

More than 2,000 counterfeit dolls, which pose a choking hazard, were found in about 13 shops in recent weeks across North Tyneside.

The area's trading standards team said the dolls could be identified by their poor quality, wobbly limbs, overly vibrant colouring and incorrect features, including the wrong number of teeth.

Councillor Sandra Graham, North Tyneside Council's cabinet member for community safety, said there had been a "worrying rise" in the number of fake dolls.

The genuine collectible dolls, from Chinese toy maker Pop Mart, have become hugely popular with children and teenagers, after launching in 2015.

The fake dolls seized have "small parts that easily detach, posing a serious choking hazard to young children", trading standards said.

The toys are in breach of both the Toy (Safety) Regulations 2011 and the Trade Marks Act 1994 and traders have received written warnings.

Ms Graham said: "These products, which are becoming increasingly popular due to their low price and wide availability, do not meet UK toy safety regulations and could be dangerous, particularly for young children."