Which? testing reveals 'unsafe' child stair gates

Each month, thousands of new parents buy stair gates, such as the version seen here - which was not one of the products named by Which?

Parents should immediately stop using three market-leading child stair gates, a consumer group has said after carrying out its own safety tests.

Which? tested the durability of 10 gates and their tests found that three failed to meet EU safety standards.

The group believes there should be an immediate recall of the Dreambaby Retractable Gate, which it says failed after just 10 applications of force.

The manufacturer said it investigated all complaints about its products.

The other gates which failed Which?'s testing were the Lindam Easy Fit Plus Deluxe Safety Gate and the Safetots Self-closing Gate.

Which? said all three were currently available in major high street shops and online.

The products were attached with adhesive pads and tested by applying the "fatigue test" 10,000 times.

The test forms part of the EU safety standard for stair gates and is designed to simulate the gate being pulled back and forth by a child over time.

For the Dreambaby Retractable Gate, Which? said the metal tube attached to the gate became bent and detached from the casing that holds it in place, leading to the gate sagging in the middle.

The Dreambaby Retractable Gate failed after just 10 applications of force

The Safetots gate failed after 3,700 applications of force, with the adhesive pads that secure the gate to a door frame becoming detatched. The gate can also be fitted using screws and in this case passed the testing.

In the Which? tests, the adhesive pads also became detached from the Lindam gate after 2,570 applications of force.

Alex Neill, Which? managing director of home products and services, said the findings were "shocking".

He said: "The manufacturers need to act urgently to prevent any more children from being put at risk by products which may be unsafe."

The Lindam Easy Fit Plus Deluxe Safety Gate failed after 2,570 applications of force

Dreambaby said complaints about its products were "rare" but were investigated immediately.

In a statement, the company said: "Our ability to undertake a thorough investigation of the matters raised have been significantly frustrated by the failure of Which? to provide sufficient background detail despite our repeated requests for this information.

"We are therefore unable to provide a considered response at this time.'

Munchkin, the company that owns Lindam, said it was not aware of any evidence supporting the allegations and its gates met European safety standards.

Safetots also disputed the findings and said its gate met the standards that Which? had tested.

Which? said it had reported its findings to Trading Standards and the Office for Product Safety and Standards.