FIRE chiefs in the region are backing a national campaign which encourages householders to check their smoke alarms regularly .

The campaign, Push The Button, Not Your Luck, is launched today.

Dave Turnbull, spokesman for County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Brigade, said alarms should be checked weekly.

He said: "There is a worrying rise in installed smoke alarms failing due to flat or missing batteries.

"People have a misconception their smoke alarm will beep when the battery is flat.

"In many instances, that is the case, but if someone goes away for a while, the warning sign could be missed.

"We recommend people check them on a weekly basis, to make sure they do work."

The brigade will run a series of adverts throughout the campaign, which will continue for the rest of this year.

A number of companies, including Argos, Currys, Homebase and Woolworths, are backing the campaign and will place reminder stickers on shopping trolleys.

Mr Turnbull said the benefits of a smoke alarm are backed by statistics.

Of 265 fires attended by the brigade last year, 190 had working smoke alarms.

There was one death and five people who were taken to hospital where alarms workedn but there were five fatalities, 42 people taken to hospital and two firefighters injured where alarms failed.

Mr Turnbull said: "It is always tragic when people die or are injured in accidental domestic fires, particularly when they could have been avoided."