A company director from Bury has been prosecuted after hundreds of pieces of "toxic" children’s jewellery was confiscated from his Manchester shop.

Amindin Ataie, 47, appeared at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court earlier this month after Trading Standards officers found cancer-causing chemicals in items sold at Vavachi Ltd, on Shelbourne Steet.

During an annual inspection of the company in January, samples of the products on sale were taken away for analysis, including a children’s jewellery set and a separate pair of earrings.

When examined it was found that the children’s set contained more than 6,000 times the legal limit of cadmium, a natural element which has been known to cause cancer.

The earrings were found to contain more than 3,000 times the legal limit of lead, another harmful metal which is toxic to humans if exposed to it over a prolonged period.

Following the examination, Manchester City Council Trading Standards returned to Vavachi Ltd on February 7, 2020 and seized the remaining pieces of stock, totalling 277 items of jewellery.

Ataie and the company were interviewed under caution during which he stated the offending items were bought from the businesses previous owner and he was not aware of legislation governing jewellery safety.

At a hearing at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court held on Thursday, September 22, Vavachi Ltd and Ataie pleaded guilty to three offences under the REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) Enforcement Regulations 2008.

The company was ordered to pay a fine of £1,998, costs of £1,000, and a surcharge of £66.

Ataie, of Grundy Avenue, Bury, was sentenced to a 12-month community order which must comprise of 100 hours of unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay costs of £1,000 and a victim surcharge of £161.

Cllr Lee-Ann Igbon, executive member for vibrant neighbourhoods at Manchester City Council, said: “This prosecution highlights just how important our inspections of city traders can be.

"While the vast majority trade ethically and within the law, in cases like this it shows that our diligence pays off.

“Safety regulations are in place for a good reason, and I am pleased we’ve been able to take these dangerous products out of circulation.

"As ever, I am incredibly grateful for the hard work of our Trading Standards officers and legal team.”