Parents have been warned to throw away a “dangerous” baby proofing product.

Plug protectors are in millions of homes across the UK, as parents look to protect their children from the dangers of electric shocks.

However, a report from consumer experts Which? has suggested parents should get rid of the plugs over fears they could do more harm than good.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and the NHS have also warned issued the warning to parents

Steve Cole, director of policy, campaigns and public affairs at RoSPA, said: "It is understandable that we want to do all we can to protect our children from the dangers of electricity and can therefore understand why people are attracted to plug socket covers.

"However, the truth is that they can be more dangerous than having a bare socket.

"That’s why we agree with Which?’s latest report, and that the safest approach to childproofing your electrical outlets is essentially to leave them untouched.”

The Electrical Safety Foundation (ESF) told The Sun: “The ESF recommends avoiding the usage of removable outlet covers.

"A study conducted by Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, USA, found that 100% of all two- to four-year-olds were able to remove one type of plastic outlet covers within 10 seconds."

The reason parents are being urged not to use the safety tool is because the design disrupts existing safety mechanisms inside standard UK plug sockets.

A typical socket already features a plastic shutter which will shut when the socket is empty, preventing a child from putting their finger in the socket.

However, the plug protectors can open these shutters, threatening the safety of your child.

The protectors can also do damage to the existing shutters if they are inserted incorrectly or upside down, causing further problems in the future.