Baby products stores have been told to remove Bumbo baby seats from their shelves until they have received restraint belts from manufacturer Bumbo International.

Despite the announcement by the US government of the "voluntary recall" of 4million of the South African-made baby seats, the company yesterday offered the restraint belts as a free add-on. Canada, Britain and Australia have also begun recalling the baby seats.

It was reported earlier this week that about 50 incidents of babies being injured had been reported internationally since 2007 - the injuries included skull fractures.

But company spokesman René Tolmay said yesterday: "Bumbo International is aware of one reported injury in South Africa. We are adding a restraint belt to the baby seat and this is being offered free to all parents who use a Bumbo seat."

About 170000 have been sold in South Africa.

Assistant store manager at Toys R Us, in Sandton, Bernard Masela, said customers insisting on buying the seats would be asked to leave their contact details so that a kit containing the restraint belt could be sent to them.

Bumbo cautioned that the seat should always be used "on the floor under adult supervision and never on raised surfaces".

A store manager at Reggie's, who did not want to be named, said: "We also got the e-mail this morning and we were wondering what had happened because they're very popular with customers."