A frantic mum has told how a Primark microwaveable penguin her young daughter got for Christmas caught fire as she tried to use it for the first time.
Julie Brown, 48, from Edinburgh, said excited Cara, 11, followed the instructions as she heated up the cute novelty present from her auntie. But the youngster watched in horror as smoke started billowing from the fluffy bird.
Quick-thinking Cara rushed to get her dad, Ross, who grabbed the £5 smouldering toy and flung it into the garden of their home. Primark bosses have now apologised to the family while confirming the product meets health and safety standards.
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Julie told Edinburgh Live : “My daughter was gifted this microwaveable penguin from her great aunt for Christmas. Last night it started to burn when we followed the instructions and attempted to heat it before bedtime.
“We cut it open afterwards and found the oat filling was still inside the plastic casing. My daughter followed the instructions and put it into the microwave. After approximately 40 seconds she noticed smoke coming out of the microwave and asked her dad to come and look at it.
“Ross then took it out the microwave after sending her out of the kitchen. The penguin was cold but smoke coming out of it and it was stuck to the glass plate inside the microwave. He pulled it off and threw it into the garden as smoke was still billowing out of it.
“My partner moved the object from the microwave into the garden and has been feeling unwell the last few days with headaches. He rarely experiences headaches."
Primark bosses have asked the family to post the damaged penguin to their head office in Ireland and apologised to the family.
A Primark spokesperson said: “We were very sorry to learn of this customer’s experience and we are in contact with them directly. We take the safety and the quality of all our products very seriously and the soft toy microwavable heat pack is compliant with all UK and European safety standards.
"The product comes with user instructions on both the outer packaging and label sewn onto the plush cover with a warning to remove all packaging including the plush cover and plastic bag from the wheat bag before heating in the microwave.”
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