Two make-up kits sold to children by high-street retailer Claire’s Accessories have been banned from sale in the UK after tests revealed that they contained asbestos, according to a report published by The Daily Mail.

The retailer has been ordered to destroy remaining stock and a Europe-wide alert has been issued.

Claire’s Accessories is challenging the results, which found the kits to contain asbestos fibers. The tests were carried out by the Dutch authorities and reported to the European Commission at the end of March. Further testing ordered by the European Commission verified the Dutch findings.

“Our multiple independent testing of these products by certified laboratories show they comply with all EU cosmetic regulations. We are confident that these products are safe,” a spokesperson for Claire’s Accessories told the Daily Mail.

The company has also posted a statement on its website, reading: “We had asked the authorities to send through further information on their testing and proposed to carry out further testing using the appropriate and most accurate testing method in the Netherlands in conjunction with them to prove the products’ safety.

“We are therefore disappointed the authorities have chosen to ignore these reasonable requests and have taken the steps they have. We will obviously continue to work with the Authorities on this matter but we stand by the safety of our products.”