Hundreds of “dangerous” chainsaws, confiscated at the Port of Dover, are set to raise thousands of pounds in scrap for a children’s charity.

A total of 485 boxes, including 970 of the machines and 15 hedge trimmers, were taken by staff from Kent County Council’s trading standards department at the docks.

The machines have been handed to the Demelza Hospice Care for Children to destroy as various parts could be sold for scrap.

Demelza helps children with life-threatening conditions and it is estimated that more than £1,000 will be generated from the machinery parts.

The load had been imported from China, via Hamburg, and were found to have three “crucial” faults. The main one was the failure of chain brake test, which measures the force needed to move the handle.

Another was that the brake did not work when the engine was running.

The hedge trimmers had a major part missing and the documentation was incomplete. KCC was alerted to the consignment by customs officers at the port who had been told they were intended to be sent on to Poland.

The chainsaws were in several parts for self-assembly but were so dangerous they had to be seized.

Volunteers at the charity’s warehouse in Sittingbourne have since been stripping the machines down as money can be gained from recycling the different materials, including iron, aluminium, and plastic.

The cardboard boxes that the machines came in can also be recycled.

Demelza warehouse manager Robbie Allen said: “We’d like to thank Trading Standards for thinking of us with this donation.

“We were able to get all the materials stripped off at no cost to Demelza, and recycling it all has raised a great amount of money.

'You’d be surprised at what kind of things we can benefit from and make use of.' - Robbie Allen

"You’d be surprised at what kind of things we can benefit from and make use of – so don’t forget to think of us whenever you’re having a clear out.”

KCC trading standards manager Mark Rolfe said: “These chainsaws were intended for self-assembly but were found to be extremely dangerous even when put together by experts.

“Not only should they be banned from sale in the UK, but even if they were intended for sale in Poland we would not have approved exporting them.

“As well as blocking the entry of these into Europe, we have put out a Europe-wide warning to try and protect consumers across the EU from these dangerous products.”