Baby amputation risk forces buggy recall

Maclaren has been forced to recall one million pushchairs after a dozen children had their fingers amputated in their hinges.

The pushchair-maker has now recalled all single and double umbrella pushchairs, including the popular Volo and Techno models, in the US.

The amputations happened when children placed their fingers in the hinges while the pushchair was being unfolded. The US consumer product safety commission (CPSC) said customers should stop using the products immediately.

In a joint statement with Maclaren USA, the CPSC said: "The stroller's hinge mechanism poses a fingertip amputation and laceration hazard to the child when the consumer is unfolding/opening the stroller."

It said the firm had received 15 reports of children placing their fingers in the hinge "resulting in 12 reports of fingertip amputations in the United States". The CPSC added the pushchairs were sold in "Babies'R'Us, Target and other juvenile product and mass merchandise retailers nationwide from 1999 through November 2009 for between $100 and $360," and were made in China.

A statement on Maclaren's website read: "Consistent with our unwavering commitment to child safety we are providing US consumers notice of a voluntary recall of all Maclaren umbrella strollers sold in the US.

"In cooperation [with the CPSC], we are providing free of charge to all affected consumers and retailers a kit to cover the stroller's hinge mechanism, which poses a fingertip amputation and laceration hazard to the child when the consumer is unfolding/opening the stroller.

"The affected models include Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, Techno XLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveller."

The company stressed that models sold in the UK were not affected.