FIREFIGHTERS are urging residents to make sure their chimney is safe following three fires in a week across Northwich and Winsford.

Crews were called out to tackle a chimney fire in Milton Rough, Acton Bridge, at 2.30pm on January 8.

Firefighters also attended incidents at 9.15 on January 10 in Main Road, Moulton, and at 2pm on January 13 in Chester Road, Winsford.

Nick Evans, head of prevention at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "Employing a certified chimney sweep to clear the flue regularly and maintaining chimneys is vital and makes a disaster much less likely to strike.

"Following our chimney safety advice can certainly help to prevent a fire from starting."

Householders with chimneys should always use a fire guard to protect against flying sparks from hot embers, make sure embers are properly put out before going to bed, use well-seasoned dry firewood, which burns cleaner, and keep chimneys and flues clean and well maintained.

Chimneys should be checked regularly and at different intervals depending on which material is burnt for fuel – once a year for oil and gas, at least once a year for smokeless coals, twice a year for bituminous coal and up to four times a year for wood.

Firefighters attended a total of 51 chimney fires across Cheshire between December 1, 2016, and April 1, 2017.

"To keep yourself and your family safe from fire you should take care to have your chimney swept regularly, depending upon what fuel you burn and only burn well-seasoned dry firewood to help prevent a build-up of deposits inside the chimney," Nick added.

"If the worst should happen, a smoke alarm can give you the extra time you need to escape in a house fire – make sure you test yours regularly."

For more information on fire safety visit cheshirefire.gov.uk

To find a certified chimney sweep visit guildofmasterchimneysweeps.co.uk