Hospitals in the United Kingdom have recorded numerous children with severe burns after playing with trending squishy toys.
Some of the toys detonated when people put them in a microwave, causing burns and subjecting children to unidentified substances.
Medical experts state the injuries stem from hazardous chemicals in the soft foam available on the internet.
Trading Standards officers in Gloucestershire have seized almost 2,000 the toys in a country‑wide regulatory sweep.
The seizure follows calls from councils and consumer groups to halt sales.
Authorities urge parents to throw away any squishy toy that has been heated or shows signs of chemical leakage.