MOTHER of two Mrs Pauline Ayland of Lydney thinks seat-belt manufacturers Britax should make their five-point harness child seats more secure.

She was surprised when one of her twins, now 21 months, gave the £120 Britax Club Class Extra devices the slip – but now both children can do the trick.

And she thinks she is getting scant help from the 'experts', one of whom has suggested that she "keeps smacking them until they give in" – hardly in line with modern concepts of child care.

"It is ever so alarming when you think you have belted them in safely to have them suddenly appear beside you," she said, adding that she thought it would take a serious accident before anything was done.

She has contacted the manufacturer only to be told that few children ever manage to get out of the harnesses. Britax sent her two Velcro-fixed Playtrays for additional security but the boys simply kicked them off.

"I've asked around and other mums have said that they had similar problems, so it's not just us. It is very worrying, about it must be horrendous," she said.

"All I can say is that she should persist with using the seat belts – a very few children do get out but I can tell her they do get through it eventually."

She said the firm took customer worries very seriously and offered to talk further with Mrs Ayland about the problem.

And a spokesperson for the accident-prevention organisation RoSPA told the Review that an alarming 60 percent of child seat belts were incorrectly fitted, although she did not suggest this was the case with Mrs Ayland.

"We do recommend that you get the correct seat for the size and age of your child. Never buy a secondhand one and obviously look for a well-known make," she said.

"Part of the problem is that different makes are fitted in different ways. We would like to see universal fittings."

She said distraction games can help – and as soon as the child is able to understand, it should be given an explanation why the seat or belt is necessary.

•Fact sheets on child car safety are available from RoSPA House, Edgbaston Park, 353 Bristol Road, Birmingham B5 7ST, Tel 0121 248 20000.