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Britain’s first ever wristwatch that can track a child anywhere in the world is set to be a Christmas sellout.

Launched today, the Spy Kids gadget allows children to talk into the watch face like secret agents and has a unique SOS button if they need help.

The £79 Moochies For Kids device alerts parents if the child wanders off from an agreed play zone and has an SOS button to call help.

Parents can also vet the 20 pre-agreed incoming calls. Co-designer Adrian Lisle, 36, said it would “put parents’ minds at rest”.

But Sally Whittle, editor of blog Who’s the Mummy, said: “Under-10s don’t need it, they should always be under supervised activity.”

Sally who is also founder of parenting website Tots100 said: "We are in danger of raising children that are not independent because their parents are always there at a push of a button.

"The SOS button doesn't empower a child. They need to be able to problem solve so if there is an issue with bullying, it needs to be worked through rather than a call to a parent.

"I am not anti-tech for kids but this desire to have them constantly connected to parents means they are not thinking for themselves and creates an expectation that someone will always be there at a push of a button.

"I understand parents' peace of mind argument but I don't think a smartphone watch is the best present for kids."

The GPS-enabled smartphone can track a child anywhere in the UK or abroad through a free Moochies app.

And the device also allows mums and dads to set a zone that children must not stray from.

If the child goes out of the radius set by parents - for example the local park - they are alerted on their smartphones and can track their child’s location.

And the SOS button can be used if a child is in distress, being bullied or gets lost.

For a simple press of a button in the middle of the watch sends an alarm to their parent’s smartphone along with a 15 second recording of all the sounds around the child including any evidence of verbal threats.

Created by business partners Adrian Lisle and Ryan O’Neill who met while studying at Durham University, Moochies has taken a year to perfect.

(Image: Getty)

Adrian, 36, said: “We designed the watch and app not to restrict children from having fun, but to put parents’ minds at rest once their children start making their own way to and from school and to see their friends.

“It’s a modern day problem which so many parents can relate to, and we’ve come up with an innovative solution through a fashionable watch for kids that helps to ease them into the process of being independent, with the support of a safety net.”

The watch-phone in four colours - pink, blue, black and orange - uses a pay-as-you-go SIM card and works alongside any Android or Apple iPhone.