Local authorities are proposing a ban on toy clackers after a contest involving the noisy items sparked a brawl among youths in the Philippines on Saturday.

Children in a neighbourhood in Quezon City, Manila, were seen squaring off against each other like gangs on June 17 as they battled to see who could keep clacking the longest without stopping.

The rhythmic racket filled the tense air before one of the kids suddenly lunged across the street, shoving another boy who fell to the pavement. The attack soon escalated into a full-on brawl, with other schoolboys joining in the chaos as the older teens egged them on.

Footage shows the underage thugs throwing punches and flying kicks, and whacking each other using their toys. The fight broke up before police could arrive at the scene.

The incident has sparked outrage among parents, who complained nothing good came from the clacker craze - locally known as 'lato lato' - that has taken the country by storm.

The classic 1970s toy was banned in the UK, U.S. and Canada, because of injuries that youngsters were suffering themselves and from hitting other people in the school playground. However, the toys made from two balls attached to string are enjoying a revival in the developing world.

Barangay Holy Spirit chairperson Lydia Ballesteros said: 'I was very nervous. I couldn't believe how many children were involved. The police and the public safety officers were just about to arrive, but all of the kids had already run away.'

Speaking to local media, the unnamed grandfather of the alleged brawl instigator said: 'My grandson told me that the other kids had been elbowing him even before the fight started. He ignored it until he heard his mother's name being mentioned. He became angry and rushed at them.'

Local officials said there were no reports of severe injuries. None of the parents had filed formal complaints, they said.

Barangay chairperson Lydia said: 'They should stop with those lato-lato toys. We urge parents not to give their children money to buy the clackers. I will ask our safety officers to confiscate them.'

Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week warned against clackers that had no certificate of product notification. The FDA said in a statement: 'Potential hazards may come from ingredients that are not allowed to be part of a toy and childcare article product.

'The use of substandard and possibly adulterated toy and childcare article product may result to health risks including, but not limited to, endocrine disruption and reproductive or development effects; or may result to injury, choking or suffocation due to its small or broken parts.'

Toy clackers or lato-lato are two small spheres connected with rope. The toy is rapidly swung up and down to make the spheres bang together.