Fire Safety Enforcement Manager, Andy Parsons said: “Christmas should be a safe and happy time where families and friends can enjoy their celebrations. That’s why we’re urging people to be careful when using and buying electrical items.

“Typically, we see the use of electricals increase over the festive season with people putting up decorations and buying gifts for others, on top of their daily electricity use, which is why it’s so important to stay vigilant.

“I would encourage residents to turn off lights and plug sockets before leaving the house or going to bed. Leaving electrical items unattended could have devastating consequences and it isn’t worth the risk.

“Overloading plug sockets and extension leads can also be extremely dangerous. When putting up Christmas lights, it’s easy to get carried away and become complacent about the fire risks, so please use the online socket calculator to check as to whether your plugs are overloaded.”