A frantic mum dialled 999 after a hoverboard she bought her son for Christmas started to smoulder at the family home in Borstal.

Firefighters were called out to deal with the faulty device last night, which they say could have easily burst into flames.

The woman threw the hoverboard out in the garden after it would not stop beeping and wires started to burn.

Watch manager Ken Spratt issued a warning, saying the hoverboard was faulty and could have caught fire if had been left unnoticed for much longer.

Mr Spratt said : "Alarm bells rang immediately. There was no serial number, no manufacturer's ID and there were spelling mistakes on the user manual."

The crew from Strood, who attended the home at about 6.15pm, cut the wires to deactivate it.

In the run-up to Christmas, Medway trading standards officers also warned about the potential dangers of popular item after discovering more than 180 in Chatham and Gillingham.

The team found six shops in the Towns selling them as cheap Chinese knock-offs have flooded the market across the UK.

Many were sold with faulty plugs and fuses, with further tests showing the product not having a a safety cut-out device on batteries.

Meanwhile, in Deal, £25,000 of damage was caused when a hoverboard exploded while charging in November.

Members of the public are being urged to make sure the product is safe by checking the following:

• The plug must be a UK three-pin and have a fuse
• The item should include information about the manufacturer and importer, including an address
• Safety advice should be included - both for charging and how to use - and should be in clear English
• A genuine CE mark should be on display