Samsung has halted sales of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone after reports of 'safe replacements' catching fire.

The firm had claimed the manufacturing defect which led to a spate of incidents in September had been resolved.

A new defect is suspected in replacement phones that may not be related to its batteries, which the company blamed for the fires in the original handsets.

Anyone with a Galaxy Note 7 has been advised to "power down" the device, stop using it and "return to using your previous phone".

Customers are also advised to return the smartphone to the place of purchase "at your earliest opportunity".

If you do not have another phone you can use in the meantime, customers should contact the provider or operator you purchased the device from to organise a loan device until you are able to exchange your Galaxy Note 7.

Owners of the Galaxy Not 7 can exchange the handset for a Galaxy S7 or a Galaxy S7 Edge.

You can also also replace any Galaxy Note 7-specific accessories with a refund of the price difference between the devices.

Alternatively, you can contact the place where you bought the phone and obtain a full refund.

Customers who exchange a Note 7 device will also receive a Samsung gift card.

For more information, head to the Samsung website.