British distributor defends safety of toy hamster

SAFETY concerns over a hit Christmas gift – the Mr Squiggles Go Go Hamster – are “entirely groundless”, the British distributor said yesterday as it launched a strong defence of the toy.

Character Options said the toy was safe after concerns about levels of the chemical antimony on the electronic pet by the US consumer organisation GoodGuide.

The company said independent testing had taken place and the toys in the Go Go Pet range, sold worldwide as Zhu Zhu pets, “meet and fully comply” with stringent European safety and quality regulations.