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Safety chiefs have warned of the dangers of hoverboards after major retailers pulled the popular Christmas gift from the shelves.

Faulty versions of the gadget have flooded the market, with some exploding into flames.

Several high street chains and on-line retailers have urged customers to throw them away and seek a refund.

The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents all 46 fire authorities in England and Wales, warned more than 80 per cent of hoverboards tested by Trading Standards since October have been deemed unsafe.

More than 38,000 of them were stopped from entering the UK.

(Image: PA)

Many of the items sent for testing were found to be at increased risk of exploding or bursting into flames.

Cheap, fake imports of the popular toy - also called balance boards - have hit the headlines after their dangerous chargers and unsafe batteries sparked several fires.

A blaze in Kent caused £25,000 worth of damage to a homeowner’s kitchen after a hoverboard overheated while charging.

READ MORE:Hoverboard safety fears leave thousands of parents out of pocket before Christmas

In London, a man was forced to escape another blaze caused by a faulty board by escaping through a first floor window.

An electric unicycle – similar to a hoverboard – has ruined Christmas for a family in Warwickshire after overheating while charging, setting fire to furniture and carpets. Hoverboards usually retail for between £300 and £600.

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But dangerous replicas are selling for hundreds of pounds cheaper - mainly online - to capitalise on the Christmas rush for the popular gadget.

The LGA is warning Christmas shoppers of the dangers of fake, cheap rip off boards – often with unsafe plugs.

Cllr Jeremy Hilton, Chair of the LGA’s Fire Services Management Committee, said: “Hoverboards are top of Christmas wishlists for many people this year, but these exploding gadgets can cause major fires which puts lives at risk.

“ Trading Standards teams at councils nationwide have been working hard to stop dangerous hoverboards entering the country, but people are able to buy them online from unofficial websites.

“With major retailers pulling them from sale, we are urging people to think twice about buying a hoverboard because of the significant fire risk associated with them.

(Image: Getty)

“Anyone who has bought one should check the plugs conform to British safety standards and should never leave the boards charging unattended or overnight when asleep.”

National Trading Standards seized 32,000 of the 38,000 - or 84 per cent - of hoverboards examined since October, mostly for illegal electrical components that could explode or catch fire.

Trading standards officers seized a haul of dodgy balance boards at East Midlands Airport and Birmingham Airport. Another 50 hover boards were stopped from entering the country at an HMRC-controlled warehouse in Essex.

Amazon has told customers who have bought a hoverboard with non-compliant plugs to throw them away, while other retailers have stopped selling the gadgets.

Anyone who believes they may have bought an unsafe hoverboard should call Citizens Advice on 03454 04 05 06.