PEOPLE are being urged to celebrate National Chip Week -by throwing their chip pans away.

Dave Turton, of Cleveland Fire Brigade, said: "You can get safer deep-fat fryers than the old-fashioned chip pans, and a safer option still would be oven chips, which are also healthier than fried chips."

Last year, Teesside firefighters attended 57 chip pan fires, which resulted in 26 injuries to householders.

In 2002, 33 people died and 3,197 were injured nationally because of chip pan fires.

Mr Turton said: "It is very important for people to realise the dangers of chip pans.

"We would like to see people get rid of them altogether. They can be very dangerous."

For a free home fire safety check, call (01429) 874063.

National Chip Week, which runs from today until next Monday, is organised by the British Potato Council.