The parent company of TK Maxx ended up with a fine after a Lincoln village resident was sold a dangerous phone charger.
ITJX UK Ltd got the handed a large fine over a Venom Blackberry charger, which fell apart when a Cherry Willingham resident plugged it into the wall.
This left her exposed to dangerous electrical currents.
The item came from the store in Lincoln in 2012, but Lincolnshire Trading Standards investigated other TK Maxx chains in the county, and found the charger in other stores.
TJX UK Ltd, the retailer and importer Venom Ltd both pleaded guilty to two charges of supplying non-compliant electrical items at Grantham Magistrates Court this week and were fined £4,000 each.
Venom Ltd is also no longer importing the Blackberry charger, and TK Maxx pulled the item from sale earlier in the year.
Lincolnshire Trading Standards received full costs of the trial of £5,613.22 due to bringing the prosecution forward.
The faulty charger pack, which was sold by TK Maxx Lincoln in 2012. Photo: Lincolnshire Trading Standards
Lisa Foster, Principal Trading Standards Officer at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “Retailers have a duty to make sure the products they sell are safe, but in this case officers found that TJX UK Ltd, through its UK TK Maxx stores, had been selling a brand of dangerous chargers which could have given a nasty shock, or worse, to anyone using them.
“If there is a product safety issue with any kind of electrical item, it is important that we do all we can to ensure that no harm comes to consumers.
“When the lady from Cherry Willingham unplugged the charger from the mains, the black plastic backing from the plug broke off leaving the pins in the socket and the live pins exposed – this is totally unacceptable.
“We would remind people that when buying electrical items to just do some research first to see if there are any issues with the product, i.e. are there any recalls in place?
“Have others had bad experiences with the product? This way consumers can make an informed decision on whether to purchase a product or not.”
For residents who bought the charger from TK Maxx and have concerns, contact Lincolnshire Trading Standards on 01522 782341 or email [email protected]
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We are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after a collision caused serious injuries to a 23-year-old man.
Just before 3.30pm yesterday (2 July), we received reports of a collision on Barholm Road in Tallington. It involved a grey BMW 335D estate, a blue BMW 116D and an orange KTM motorcycle.
The motorcycle rider, a 23-year-old man, sustained serious injuries during the collision and was taken to hospital.
If you witnessed the incident and are yet to get in touch with us, please do so. If you have any other information or dashcam footage available that may have captured the road along the A1175 at the time of the collision, get in touch.
By calling 101 quoting incident 282 of 2 July.
By emailing [email protected] quoting incident 282 of 2 July in the subject line.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can report via the independent charity CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111 or online.
The 2022 Destination Lincolnshire Tourism Excellence Awards are open for applications, and Destination Lincolnshire giving you the rare chance to co-create your application with Nell Barrington, a tourism awards veteran, who has helped hundreds of businesses write winning applications over the last 15 years – including national VisitEngland winners.
The Tourism Awards Masterclass is taking place on Tuesday 12 July at 11am for one-hour online. Laura Freer, Head of Marketing at Destination Lincolnshire said: “This is a golden opportunity, after years of hard work and heartache, to get your business and team recognised and rewarded.
“A well written application is key to achieving a coveted place on this year’s shortlist, and I’d encourage all tourism and visitor economy businesses who are thinking of entering – whether they are seasoned at writing award applications or not – to join us for this exclusive masterclass.
“Nell Barrington has worked with us and VisitEngland on the founding application processes of these awards, and she is perfectly placed to assist in co-creating applications that you can be proud of. This is a great opportunity for business development too – whether you are shortlisted for an award or not – discovering how to effectively apply for awards and talk up your business adds another string to your bow.
“Booking is essential and places are limited to just 35 – so be quick! This year we’ve made our masterclass available to partners and also to those who we are yet to work with for free. Call it an added bonus, after two years away from the awards circuit.
The awards masterclass is focussed on the application process, and it will spell out what the judges are looking for. You’ll learn how to make your application stand out from the local competition, helping your chances of going through to the national VisitEngland Awards in 2023.”
There are fifteen categories open for nominations from visitors attraction, accommodation providers, hospitality businesses and many more.
The deadline for nominations is July 29, with online judging starting on July 30 and mystery shopping from August 13. Finalists will be announced on Monday, August 15.
The awards ceremony will be held at the Engine Shed on October 21, and will be hosted by Lincs FM presenter, John Marshall.
The event is organised by Stonebow Media, publishers of The Lincolnite, to celebrate the best businesses in Greater Lincolnshire, alongside headline sponsors Lincoln College and Destination Lincolnshire.
We would also like to thank our other sponsors Visit Lincolnshire, Heart of Lincs, Duncan and Toplis and LNER, insight6 and EV Camel.