CHRISTMAS lights should be turned off at night and upon leaving the house, Cleveland Fire Brigade has warned.

Each year, the festive season sees many people injured in their own homes due to a lack of care taken around electrical items.

Advice issued as part of the brigade’s ‘Stay Safe and Celebrate’ campaign encourages people to make sure they switch off all electrical items and warns them not to leave wet clothes to dry next to a heater.

People are also urged to check the condition of their Christmas lights and other electrics.

Lights should be checked for any damage or loose or worn wires and fuses should be the right size for the plug.

Any blown bulbs should be replaced and bulbs should not touch anything flammable.

Sockets should not be overloaded and care should also be taken to keep any electrical heaters maintained properly and away from furniture and fabrics.

Les Jones, Cleveland Fire Brigade’s Head of Community Safety, said: “It’s lovely to see Christmas lights aglow, but treat them with respect or they could cause a fire.”

Free home fire safety visits can be booked by calling Cleveland Fire Brigade on 01429-874063. More information about the ‘Stay Safe and Celebrate’ campaign is available at clevelandfire.gov.uk/celebrate.