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GLOBAL wholesaler Costco have issued a safety notice over hoverboards sold in their stores.

They are concerned some of the £400 Air Runner boards have unsafe plugs which pose an electrocution risk.

Customers in the UK have received letters containing photos of the affected plugs and been warned not to use them.

Costco said: “We go to great lengths to ensure the merchandise we sell reaches the highest standards in safety and quality.

“We are concerned that some of our Air Runners may have an incorrect mains plug.

“If used, there could be a risk of electrocution.”

Consumers have been sent a replacement lead and plug and been advised to destroy the old lead.

Costco have also offered a full refund to anyone who is unhappy with the product.

The news comes as Trading Standards intercept yet more unsafe boards, also known as self-balancing scooters.

We told last week how four shipments of 100 boards had been halted at Glasgow Airport. Now officers at Inverclyde Council have taken enforcement action after removing boards which have unsafe plugs and adaptors from stores in Greenock.

They have issued a suspension notice for the hoverboards – branded i-cruizer, Smart Balance Wheel and Urban Art – so they can’t be sold anywhere.

A spokesman said: “Testing has revealed that a number of the devices have been supplied with unsafe power supplies.

“There is a risk of electrical failure, which could cause a fire.

“If you have purchased a hoverboard recently, the advice is not to use the device and not to charge it until it has become clear which products are affected.”

Robert Chantry-Price, of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, said: “We would advise consumers to check that the three-pin plug on the appliance states it is made to BS 1363. If it does not, don’t buy it.”