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Two more toy manufacturers in the US have recalled products, made in China, amid concerns that the paint on the items contains dangerous levels of lead.

News of the latest recalls comes a week after US-based Mattel announced the recall of over 18 million toys due to concerns about Chinese production methods.

Parents are now being asked to take SpongeBob SquarePants spiral address books and diaries, Thomas the Tank Engine spinning tops and toy buckets away from their children.

Some 250,000 of the Spongebob products made by Ohio-based Martin Designs, and sold between June 2006 and July 2007, have been recalled.

The US consumer product safety commission (CPSC), which issued the recall notices, said concerns had also been raised over 66,000 Thomas the Tank Engine spinning tops and 4,700 tin pails. The toys were sold between July 2001 through July 2002.

Made by Massachusetts-based Schylling Associates, the products have been recalled because "surface paints on the wooden handles of the tops and pails contain excessive levels of lead," the regulator said.

Concerns about the use of lead in the manufacture of some Chinese-made toys have been at the centre of recent recalls concerning children's products. The metal is toxic if ingested by youngsters.

Jewellery made for children and magnetic toy train sets have also been recalled this week due to similar fears, while UK supermarket chain Asda launched the recall of 115,000 children's bottles made in China earlier this month, due to safety concerns.

Analysts say that the latest recalls are likely to add to concern about the safety of products made in China, with one US politician having previously called for all toys imported from the country to be inspected.

The Chinese authorities have reportedly increased their efforts to scrutinise the quality of toys exported overseas in light of the concerns.