Sellers peddling shoddy fold out ladders are putting people at serious risk after four out of five failed safety tests by trading standards.

Over 80pc of commercially-available telescopic ladders tested failed to meet the minimum safety requirements in a study by East of England Trading Standards Association (EETSA), Suffolk Trading Standards Imports Team and the Ladder Association.

The research also found that over half of the failed ladders were marked and sold as ‘compliant’ in a deliberate attempt to mislead consumers.

Telescopic leaning ladders are popular because they require a small storage space and are adjustable in size and working height.

Vicki Burch, chair of the EETSA product safety group, said: “For those telescopic ladders identified as non-compliant, action has been taken to ensure they are removed from sale.

“If consumers have concerns about the safety of a product before or after purchase, it should be reported to trading standards.”