Guide to thy perfect light

Fire chiefs across the UK have issued warnings this month over the safe use of Christmas lights.

They have stressed that as last years decorations are unpacked and new ones bought, people need to be careful with festive lighting for both indoor and outdoor use. In recent years, there has been a dramatic rise in the number of people using lights to decorate the outside of their homes, offices and gardens for Christmas, so people need to make sure they don't put their families, work colleagues or homes at risk.

You can do this by following these basic safety guidelines over the festive period:

• check Christmas lights conform to British Standards guidelines, or have the European CE safety mark;
• check each set of lights, old or new, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wire or any loose connections;
• make sure the lights are switched off at the mains before inserting or removing bulbs;
• only use the correct bulb for that particular set of lights;
• always use a residual current device (RCD) on outdoor electrical equipment;
• take care not to overload electrical sockets;
• do not let bulbs come into contact with anything that might burn easily (such as wrapping paper);
• only use lights designed for external use outside;
• fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, walls and fences, out of the reach of young children;
• always turn off Christmas lights when leaving the house or when you go to bed;
• double check your smoke alarms are working as you put up your Christmas lights.