Dad sues famous London toy store after suffering leg injury

Contributor: Isabella Greenslade

Published 18 December 2025 | Last Updated 18 December 2025

A dad-of-four suffered a leg injury in Hamleys after an ‘enormous’ piece of Perspex landed on him.

Jonathan Joseph was on the escalators in the Regent Street toy store with his family when what appeared to be a shard of shattered glass fell from above.

But Jonathan who says he could easily have ‘been killed’ by the falling debris is now making a compensation claim against the store.

He said: “A children’s toy store should be the safest place in the world. But it wasn’t. Our Christmas family day out was terrifying. No kids or parents should be scared of shopping for toys. But now my kids are wary of going in stores or using escalators.

“A staff member told me it had fallen off an escalator two floors above. I couldn’t believe how big and heavy it was and how I was still here.”

Isabella Greenslade, a Trainee Solicitor in Express Solicitors’ Occupiers’ and Public Liability department said: “This was supposed to be a magical family day out, but it quickly turned into a nightmare before Christmas. It is just sheer luck that Jonathan and his family weren’t more seriously injured.

“Big brands need to maintain their stores to make sure they are safe for customers to visit especially in busy holiday periods.”