Footwear retailer Payless ShoeSource Inc has recalled about 441,000 pairs of young children's athletic shoes because of a potential choking hazard.

    The sneakers, marketed under the names Smart Fit and Teeny Toes, feature a detachable metal eyelet lace holder that poses the hazard, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said in a statement.

    So far, Payless has received one report of a child starting to choke on a detached eyelet from one of the shoes, but no injuries have been reported, the CPSC said.

    Payless operates 5066 stores worldwide.