Dangerous or toxic toys are on sale in US stores as Americans rush to buy presents for eager children, says a consumer group.

In a report entitled Trouble in Toyland, commissioners told how they had found unacceptable levels of lead and phthalates, or chemicals, in 25 kinds of toys, as well as products which presented a significant choking hazard.

“While most toys are safe, our researchers still found toys on the shelves that pose choking hazards and other toys that contain hazardous levels of toxic chemicals including lead,” said Nasima Hossain, from the US Public Interest Research Group.

“Choking on small parts, small balls and balloons is still the leading cause of toy-related injury.

“Between 1990 and 2010 over 400 children died from toy-related injuries, but more than half choked on small parts, balloons or balls.”

The issue was brought before US lawmakers with some people maintaining that powerful lobby groups are stopping Congress from going further and adopting even tougher laws to improve toy safety.

“It’s outrageous that Congress is trying to attack some of the authority and the funding for the Consumer Product Safety Commission,” said Ivan Frischberg, the father of a two-year-old girl.

“I believe that everyone – consumers, industry and government – is making progress on safety,” said CPSC Commissioner Robert Adler.

“But, we need to continue to have all hands on deck when it comes to promoting product safety, including consumers and industry, in addition to the CPSC.”

Some 80 per cent of the toys sold in the US are imported, with most coming from China.