A FIRM selling toys to children has been fined after a court heard it breached safety regulations.

Trading standards officers visited Manchester-based 7 Star (UK) Ltd last August and took away several toys for testing, including a mini-helicopter.

City magistrates were told it had no protective ring round its rotor blades and the packaging contained no name of the manufacturer or importer.

Malcolm Hope, prosecuting, said: "The rotor blades and the propellers must have a ring around the perimeter so that they don't come into contact with the fingers of a child.

"Also, it did not have the manufacturers' details. The firm said it was not the importer, but it couldn't say who was."

The company, of Lockett Street, Cheetham Hill, admitted two breaches of the Toy Safety Regulations 1995.

Carl Richmond, defending, said a man offered the company 12 helicopters on condition he would take them back if they did not sell.

The firm gave trading standards officers his number but they were unable to contact it.

Mr Richmond said 7 Star (UK) Ltd would have made only about £1 per helicopter.

The company was fined a total of £2,000, with £756 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Chairman Marie Cash said: "It's very important to protect the public."