A safety warning has been issued for residents to look out for the overuse of electrical items and sockets ahead of Christmas.

The festive season often sees an increase in the use of electrical appliances, which could lead to potential fire hazards.

Cottsway, a provider of social housing that serves more than 12,000 customers, including those in Worcestershire, issued a reminder concerning fire risks and necessary preventative measures.

Sven Trogstad, Cottsway’s head of assets, said: "As a responsible landlord, we take fire safety very seriously and meet all the required standards, for example by installing mains-powered smoke alarms, safety compliant heating systems and carrying out periodical electrical testing of all sockets, along with fire risk assessments in blocks of flats.

"There have been fires in some of our homes caused by accidents and people not taking precautions – such as overloading electrical sockets, cigarettes and unapproved electrical wiring – and there have been serious consequences.

“With many people getting new electrical items for Christmas, increased use of candles and people being at home more over the festive season, we want to remind our customers of the importance of fire safety and some of the simple steps to take to protect themselves, their families and their homes.

"We would also urge them to ensure that they give us access to their homes when the time comes for periodical electrical checks and to make sure we have full access to all sockets during their appointment.”

Some of the simple steps include avoiding the overloading of sockets, ensuring all electrical appliances have a British or European safety mark, not leaving cooking unattended and turning off appliances when not in use.

Residents are also told that children and pets should not be left alone with lit candles, which should be secured in proper holders away from flammable materials.

Another step for residents is to allow full access to their homes for periodical electrical checks.

While Cottsway arranges buildings insurance cover, residents are also advised take into account the importance of getting contents insurance to protect their belongings from unforeseen events such as fires.

For information about fire safety residents can visit Cottsway's website (www.cottsway.co.uk/firesafety).