Toys urgently recalled after traces of asbestos discovered | UK | News

An urgent warning has been issued to parents after traces of asbestos were found in toys sold in a souvenir shop in England. The Cotswold Wildlife Park, near Burford in Oxfordshire, has recalled two toys sold at its on-site shop this weekend, urging buyers to get rid of them immediately. The items in question were a soft, warm-colored, large 8-pound gorilla and a 6-inch flexible monster with an assortment of try me bubble cards.

A spokesperson for the wildlife park, which allows visitors to get up close and personal with giraffes, rhinos and lemurs, wrote to

They added: “We will issue refunds to anyone who purchased one of the products with the affected batch numbers.

“We sincerely apologize for this matter and thank you for your understanding.”

An official recall notice stated that the problem identified in products in the TY2863 series was that they “may contain traces of asbestos.”

Customers with potentially contaminated toys were asked to place them in a heavy-duty plastic bag and double-tape them before returning them to the store for a full refund.

If the toys are damaged and the sand inside is accessible, buyers are asked to collect the sand using wet cloths, wearing gloves and a mask to prevent dust formation.

They were then instructed to place the sand and toy in a heavy-duty plastic bag and double-tape it securely, along with gloves, masks, and cloths, and to keep children and others away from areas exposed to the sand until it was completely cleaned.

Asbestos is a dangerous carcinogen that, when inhaled, can cause serious, incurable diseases such as lung cancer and severe lung scarring. Its risk is cumulative, meaning it worsens with longer or increased exposure, but there is no known safe level.