The Trading Standards Office has issued a recall notice on third-party Chinese chargers designed for use with the Nintendo DS and DS Lite gaming consoles.

The chargers, which are typically sold by online retailers and via eBay, are poorly built and could give users electric shocks.

"One of the chargers causing concern can be identified by the product code DE 62347066 which is marked on the black label attached," said the recall notice.

"However, the other charger carries no identifying product code on the silver label and is simply called 'Travel Charger'. On the body of the 'Travel Charger' the abbreviation 'USB' is also visible."

Many consumers turn to third-party suppliers for spare chargers because prices for branded hardware are so high.

An unofficial charger will typically cost around half as much as its branded equivalent, but quality varies widely.