THE dangers of overloading pushchairs will be highlighted at a series of events to mark Child Safety Week.

Trading standards officials will be visiting SureStart baby clinics in Hartlepool this week to offer advice to parents and carers.

Michael Welsh, Hartlepool Borough Council's principal trading standards officer, said: "It is important to remember that pushchairs are designed for transporting children, not for carrying groceries.

"You often see buggies being pushed around that are top heavy because they have several shopping bags on the handles. These buggies can easily tip backwards, banging a child's head on the ground.

"The only bags carried on a pushchair should be those that can fit safely on the tray at the bottom."

The trading standards officers will be taking along their own demonstration buggy to the clinics. They will also be happy to carry out basic buggy safety checks, including tests on brakes.

They will be at the following clinics: SureStart South: Wynyard Road Community Centre, today, 2pm to 4pm; The Link in Leaholm Road, tomorrow, 10am to 11am; Wynyard Road Community Centre, on Friday, 2pm to 4pm.

SureStart North: Northgate on the Headland, today from 10am to 11.45am; Miers Avenue, West View Community Centre, on Thursday, from 2pm to 4.15pm.

Child Safety Week is run by the Child Accident Prevention Trust and is taking place this week.

Statistics show that last year 120,000 children were admitted to hospital because of accidents, and 300 were killed. Thousands who escaped death were left scarred for life with brain damage or some other permanent disability.