A SLIDE which claimed the life of a toddler may have been bought by hundreds of East Lancashire parents.

The Early Learning Centre is urging parents who have purchased one of their Large Slides to get in touch with a local store immediately.

Although the company is refusing to say how many slides have been sold by the Blackburn and Burnley stores, there have been 200,000 sales nationwide in the last six years.

The alert comes in the wake of the death in March of Newcastle-upon-Tyne youngster Amy Grieveson after she became trapped in the toy.

Sales were suspended until a modification was carried out but now the company is offering a free kit for those who bought the toy before May 18.

The Early Learning Centre insists the slide is safe and conforms with toy safety regulations but says the modification kit will increase safety further.

But Kirsty Docking, 24, who tried to revive three-year-old Amy after she found her hanging, blasted: "There is no way that slide is safe."

Spokeswoman for the firm, Lynda Feeley, said: "A modification kit is available without charge for all owners of Large Slides purchased since 1990.

"It can be obtained from any Early Learning Centre or customers can call freephone 0800 281443.

"Over the last six years, 200,000 Large Slides have been sold and during this time the product has had an exemplary safety record."

The modification involves placing a new piece underneath the top section of the slide, the part in which Amy trapped her head.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.