Fashion chain Primark recalls thousands of men’s flip flops over cancer chemical fears

Fashion chain Primark has recalled thousands of men's flip flops over fears they contained a cancer causing chemical.

The company admitted that three versions of the Cedar Wood State range, khaki, black and blue contained chrysene.

Chrysene had been known to carry cancer risk to humans that could lead to cancer, Science Direct reported. The shoes were withdrawn from stores on 2 June after being on sale since January.

Primark had suspended orders with a factory pending an investigation and was offering full refunds to customers.

The affected flip flops bear numbers - khaki 02387/07, 08, 09; black 02387/01, 02, 03 and blue 02387/04, 05, 06.

A Primark spokesman told Mirror Online, ''We take the safety of our customers, and the quality of our products, very seriously, which is why we have chosen to recall three men's flip flops from our Cedar Wood State range.

"All new orders with this factory have been suspended while we carry out a thorough investigation.

"A full refund is being offered to all customers.''

In a warning online, the company said the flip flops do not "meet the Primark usual high standards for chemical compliance, adding, "We have found levels of a restricted substance in the product in excess of the 1.0 mg/kg requirement.

Primark was not able to confirm the location of the factory in which the flip flops were made.

Earlier this year, Primark was forced to recall pairs of novelty cat leggings after it emerged that small pink bows on the knees posed a potential choking hazard.

In Febuary, a t-shirt range with a design inspired by the US series The Walking Dead sparked controversy after some customers branded them "racist" and "offensive".