WILTSHIRE Fire and Rescue Service is supporting a national campaign to highlight the potential dangers of portable heaters.

The campaign has been set up by Fire Kills and Electrical Safety First , who are dedicated to preventing reducing deaths, injury and damage by electric and fire.

Research by Electrical Safety First has found that 78% of people surveyed were worried about the rising costs of energy bills, and over half would use portable heaters as a way of keeping warm this winter.

However, the research also found that 38% would leave a heater switched on and unattended and 21% would leave one switched on overnight.

Station Manager Damien Bence, from Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service’s community safety department, said: “Evidence from across the country shows that portable heaters pose a real fire risk if not used properly, with vulnerable, elderly people most in danger. We would urge anyone wanting to warm their home in this way to take particular care of the type of heater used and to follow our advice on staying safe.”

Top tips from Wiltshire Fire include:

• Never leave portable heaters unattended or keep them on when you go to sleep.

• Ensure that heaters are positioned well away from anything that could knock them over.

• Keep heaters at least a metre away from combustible materials, such as curtains, soft furnishings or paper.

• Never buy second-hand halogen heaters.

• Never power a halogen heater from an extension lead, as these can easily be overloaded and cause a fire.

• Regularly inspect your heaters and don’t use anything that appears to have been damaged.

• Make sure you have working smoke alarms and test them regularly.

Some households will qualify for a free home fire safety check from Wiltshire Fire.

To find out more call 0800 389 7849 or visit the www.wiltsfire.gov.uk website.