FREE ELECTRICAL SAFETY CHECKS IN BRIGG

North Lincolnshire Council is offering free electric blanket tests to ensure people's  blankets are not faulty in preparation for the winter months. A checking session will be held in Brigg.

Faulty electric blankets can cause serious fires that could cause damage to property or worse still, cause serious injury or death to users or other people in the home.

You can take your electric blankets to be tested at the following locations on:

• Tuesday 23 September from 9am to 12pm at Ashby Local Link, High Street, Ashby
• Wednesday 24 September from 10am to 4pm at The Baths Hall, Doncaster Road, Scunthorpe
• Thursday 25 September,  from 9am to noon, at Brigg Buttercross, in the Market Place.

The Council’s Trading Standards team carries out safety checks yearly to make sure peoples’ electric blankets are safe to use.

You don’t need to book an appointment to have your electric blanket check, just drop-in at any of the above locations.

If you are unable to get to any of the sessions, you can take your electric blanket with the controllers to one of the following Local Link offices:

• Barton Local Link, Providence House, Holydyke – call 01724 296800
• Winterton Local Link, West Street, Winterton – call 01724 296875
• Epworth Local Link, Chapel Street, Epworth – call 01724 296870
• Crowle Local Link, High Street, Crowle – 01724 296850

The staff at the Local Links will take your contact details when you leave your blanket. Trading Standards will collect your blanket to test it. They will then contact you to arrange the return of your blanket.

Local Links will start collecting electric blankets from 15 September.

Coun  Nigel Sherwood (Brigg & Wolds), cabinet member for highways and neighbourhoods, said: "It is extremely important that you have your electric blankets checked. We are urging residents in North Lincolnshire to go along to one of the sessions or leave your blanket at one of the nominated Local Links. Blankets are tested free of charge. It won’t take long and will give you the reassurance that your electric blanket is safe to use.

“In previous years when we have tested blankets the faults found include lack of overheat protection and faulty wiring within the blanket. Don’t take the risk, get yours checked.”

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