WILTSHIRE Fire & Rescue Service is warning people to maintain tumble dryers, after a string of fires were linked to the appliances.

On Saturday the Adver highlighted the story of pensioner Mary Robinson who was living in fear that her Indesit tumble dryer might burst into flames after finding out it was one of the five million models sold between 2004 and 2015 that had been included in a product safety alert.

On Tuesday, Mrs Robinson appeared on ITV's This Morning and a picture of the inside of her dryer showing a build up of lint after only three uses was used as a warning to other owners.

On the same day, Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service issued a number of warning signs to look out for. These included a smell of burning, items taking longer to dry than normal, and the external vent flap opening when the dryer is on.

The emergency service stressed the importance of cleaning and maintaining a machine to ensure excess fluff or lint doesn't build up over time and catch fire.

Members of the public are warned to clean the filter and check the vent pipe if they notice any of the signs and to never run the washing machine or tumble drier overnight.

Safety tips include reading and following the manufacturer’s instructions before using your dryer, never leaving the appliance unattended or running overnight.

Users are advised never to put rags or materials into a tumble dryer if they have been used to soak up flammable liquids and dryers should always be kept well ventilated with the vent always uncovered.

Filters on dryers should be cleaned after every use and warm air should only ever be vented to the outside of a building.

Wiltshire Fire and Rescue also advises having dryers serviced regularly by a qualified engineer and to always have working smoke alarms in the home which are tested regularly.

Station manager Damien Bence from the prevention department, said: “Our advice is to never use tumble dryers and washing machines overnight; there is a risk of fire if these appliances develop a fault, and if this happens when people are sleeping, the risk to life is far greater.

“Tumble dryers, in particular, have been in the news lately as a number of manufacturers have sent out advisory letters asking owners to get their appliances checked. If you receive such a letter, you should make an appointment for an engineer to visit as soon as possible; in the meantime, follow any safety advice sent by the manufacturer and ensure that the machine is only used when supervised and clean it after each use.”

A full range of home fire safety advice can be found at wiltsfire.gov.uk/safetyinthehome

Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service offers free home fire safety advice to householders – to see if you qualify for a visit, call 0800 389 7849 or visit wiltsfire.gov.uk