Are phone chargers risky?

Q "My two sons and I charge our phones and other electronic gadgets overnight, but someone's now told me that's dangerous. Is it risky and what are the safety rules concerning charging?"

A Emma Apter, head of communications at the charity Electrical Safety First, says: "Charging anything overnight could result in overcharging - and if you use cheap or fake chargers, they often don't have the safety mechanisms in them, which could lead to overheating and catching fire. Yet half of respondents across all ages questioned in recent research we did don't think charging a phone overnight is dangerous, and 27% of children and 41% of parents have used or bought a cheap unbranded charger.

"Electrical items like tablets, laptops and mobile phones have lithium batteries which get warm - if left on, or charged on bedding or flammable material the heat can't dissipate like it would if it was left on a table, so there's a chance the material could catch fire. Yet our research found over half of children (52.9%) have left gadgets charging on their beds, and 38% were guilty of leaving their phones charging under their pillow overnight.

"Children have on average 10 electrical items in their room, ranging from fairy lights to tablets, and spend just over four hours a day in their bedrooms; 79% of this time using technology.

"It's vital you know how your children are using and charging their electrical items - get your family into the habit of switching off and unplugging mobiles, computers and other electrical appliances before you go to bed or leave the house.

"And make sure no one charges phones, tablets or any electrical device on a bed, under a pillow or on top of clothes where it could overheat and catch fire."

For more advice on electrical safety at home, visit www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/modernfamily