A toy sold on Amazon has been removed over fears it could be a choking hazard for children. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) warned A4R Water Beads as present a "high" risk of asphyxiation in a safety report issued on Christmas Eve.

Made in China, the multicoloured water gel beads with the barcode X001V59DJ5 can block a young child's airway if swallowed in their hydrated form, according to the OPSS. The Office categorised the product as a toy and said it fails to meet the requirements of the General Product Safety Regulations 2005.

It added: "The listing has been removed by the online marketplace (Amazon).

"We recommend owners stop using this product immediately and keep it out of the reach of young children. Contact the distributor you purchased from to request redress."

Water gel beads can be used for decorative purposes, such as in vases and to adorn plant pots. They grow in size when soaked in water and can last for weeks.

Under its guidelines, Amazon should stop selling a product "as quickly as possible" when a retailer or authority notifies the retail giant of a product recall.

Customers who have already purchased the product should also have received an email about the recall.

Christmas Eve saw the OPSS issue a number of product recalls, including John Lewis's Wooden Roast Dinner Toy, which presents a choking hazard.

A hook and loop fastening was deemed capable of becoming detached through "reasonably foreseeable" use, creating a small part which poses a choking hazard, according to the OPSS.

The Office recommended that anyone who has bought the toy stop using it immediately and keep it away from babies and young children.

Anyone who has purchased it and wishes to return it should visit John Lewis for a full refund.

Littala Aalto and Kanto Candles have also been recalled due to a fire risk posed by the product. Testing indicated the wick may "club", resulting in higher-than-expected flames.

The OPSS stated that the Danish pillar candle product has been recalled from end-users as it fails to meet the General Product Safety Regulation 2005.

Kanto block candles in sand, ash and fire measuring 10cm and 16cm have been recalled, as have 8cm, 11cm and 16cm Aalto block candles in fire, water and sand.

The OPSS recommends returning the product to wherever it was bought from for a refund, adding that no receipt is needed.