Bugaboo recall: Bee model safety alert as front wheels defect causes it to flip over
A hi-tech baby buggy which sells for more than 400 and is loved by celebrities and style-conscious mothers is at the centre of a safety alert.
Owners of the Bugaboo Bee have been advised that the front wheels could lock without warning, causing it to tip over.
Many parents are unhappy that they have been kept in the dark about the problem and large numbers have taken to online parenting websites to vent their frustration.
Inadequate: Bugaboo has recalled its Bee pushchair after tests revealed its front wheels kept locking
The fault is all the more surprising given the high price tag of the Bugaboo Bee stroller and other buggies in the companys award-winning range.
The Bee can run from around 400 to more than 700 depending on the accessories bought with the basic frame.
Celebrity parents who have used the buggy with their own children include Myleene Klass, Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck, Tobey Maguire and Jen Meyer, and Milla Jovovich.
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Among the complaints on the Mumsnet website was the comment: After 4 weeks use it is ! behaving like a wonky shopping trolley, all heavy and unruly and impossible to get up kerbs.
One London mother, who did not wish to be named, told how the wheels on her Bee buggy seized up as she was crossing a busy road.
She said: I was horrified that after shelling out over 600 for a Bugaboo package that the wheels began to seize up after just half a dozen times.
I had done so much research and the Bugaboo Bee seemed to come out on top in most surveys. I was shocked to find that one of the most fundamental parts - the wheels - were faulty.
There were a few terrifying moments when the wheels seized up in the middle of the road.
I hate to think what would have happened if I hadnt been able to lift my baby out of harms way.
S Club Junior: Rachel Stevens' daughter, Amelie, has a bright pink Bugaboo pushchair
The company is obviously aware there was a problem for some time and should have done more to alert customers.
Theproblem was caused when the company changed the design of the Bees wheels from a metal bearing to a plastic bearing in early 2011.
The change was made because, until that point, there was a problem with the wheels shimmying or wobbling.
However, the new plastic bearing unintentionally increased the likelihood of the wheels not swivelling correctly, creating a tipping danger.
TheDutch company has said it will give parents who bought the buggy between January and September this year a new set of front wheels.
In the meantime, parents who plan to continue to use the Bee have been advised to lock the front wheels, rather than allowing them to swivel.
Some parents say they have had enormous trouble reaching the company in order to get the new set of wheels.
Yummy Mummies: Myleene Klass and Kourtney Kardashians are also fans of Bugaboos but have not reported any problems with their models
In theory, Bugaboo withdrew the Bee from sale in September, however parents report that some stores were still selling them earlier this month.
Bugaboo said: The latest safety assessment by an independent expert concluded, following further tests, that there is a small chance that the strollers front wheels could jam, which could potentially make the stroller tip over.
In light of this we believe that the safety profile of this product is inadequate and not up to our quality standard. We take this very seriously and therefore we immediately stop shipment and sales of the Bugaboo Bee.
The company apologised to customers saying: We are very sorry about this and want to assure you that we take this very seriously.
A new version of the Bee, reverting back to the metal bearing is now available in the high street and online. However, some of these models still have the problem of the wobbling front wheels.
Customers who experience this are being advised to contact Bugaboo via its website in order to be set of washer rings that should stop this happening.
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