A couple of months ago, my daughter (4 years old) and not travelling alone, was stopped going through security at LHR T4 and made to remove the safety pin which was holding her favorite teddy in her backpack. The safety pin was literally less than one cm long and about as dangerous as a manky turnip, and certainly less dangerous than the size 10's of her pretty annoyed father ! We didnt argue though, we just got another pin from a shop airside and Amber the bear enjoyed a safe journey. Was this a normal thing to insist on removing i.e. the authorities believe that a 1cm safety pin could be used for a terrorist outrage, or was the security person concerned just having a bad day ?
Maybe airside shops need their stock checked !