Don't let sparks fly this Christmas! Shoppers warned about buying electrical goods

A warning has been issued about buying cheap electrical items by Norfolk County Council and Norfolk fire and rescue.

This is ahead of Electrical Fire Safety Week happening next week with a campaign encouraging people to buy electrical items from reputable retailers.

With Christmas coming up, around half of shoppers have considered buying someone an electrical item such as a game console or a beauty product.

Margeret Dewsbury, cabinet member for communities and partnership, said: “Buying from online marketplaces means you can’t always be sure who you’re buying from and whether products meet safety standards.

“Products being sold cheaply could also turn out to be counterfeit.”

So far this year, 26 Norfolk house fires have been caused by a fault in electrical equipment and 36 caused by faulty leads.

Greg Preston, head of fire prevention at Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service said: “By buying cheap, inferior quality products, people are putting their life at risk.

“We also ask that residents don’t charge mobile phones or tablets on beds or sofas, or leave them charging overnight. And that plug sockets are never overloaded.”