A MAJOR campaign has been launched to reduce the number of house fires caused by unattended cookers and grills.

The many distractions of the festive season have prompted Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service to start the Your Grill Can Kill campaign.

Chief Fire Officer Steve McGuirk said: "The kitchen is the most dangerous place in your home - and distractions, such as a phone call or a knock on the door, during the busy Christmas and New Year holidays can increase the risks of a fire starting."

Figures show that nearly 50 per cent of accidental house fires in Cheshire start in the kitchen.

Campaign leaflets will be delivered to more than 20,000 households offering advice on how to cut the risk of kitchen fires.

Click on the link to see our video of Gina Bebbington learning about the very real dangers of kitchen fires.


Top Tips

Use a thermostatically controlled deep fat fryer - or better still, have oven chips.

Keep tea towels and flexes away from cooker tops.

Do not place metal objects inside the microwave.

Don't ever leave grills and pans unattended when cooking (if you are called away, remove food from the heat).

Keep pan handles turned in to avoid accidents.

Keep the toaster away from curtains and wires.

Keep your grill, oven and hob clean - a build up of fat can easily catch fire.

When you have finished cooking, make sure the oven is turned off.