Guide to thy perfect light

Fire chiefs have this month issued a warning over the safe use of Christmas lights.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service has said that people need to be careful with festive lighting for both indoor and outdoor use. Peter Hope, their community safety advisor commented, "We know that many people will be turning their thoughts to Christmas and we want to make sure that safety is high on their agenda as they unpack their lights and decorations from last year, or plan to buy some new ones. In recent years we've seen a dramatic rise in the number of people using lights to decorate the outside of their homes and gardens for Christmas and we want to make sure they are not putting themselves, their families or their homes at risk by doing so."

He also urged everyone to be vigilant and follow some basic safety guidelines when using fairy lights and other illuminated decorations over the festive period. In particular, you should:

• 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;
• 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.