FOLLOWING two tumble dryer fires in Worcestershire at the weekend, the fire service is warning Bromsgrove residents to take precautions and follow instructions when using the appliance at home.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service has issued a series of safety tips to help residents stay safe and prevent dryer fires in the town.

Station Commander Alan Haley, from the service's community risk department, said: “Over the weekend, the service attended two fires involving tumble dryers. Luckily the fires were swiftly extinguished and there were no injuries.

“Nevertheless, the effects of fire can be devastating and we strongly encourage people to take note of our safety advice regarding tumble dryers.”

The service urges people to always follow the manufacturer's instructions and never to use a tumble dryer at night or while the appliance is unattended.

Residents are encouraged to clean the filters regularly to ensure they do not become blocked with fluff.

Removing items from the dryer immediately after the cycle is also advised, and users are warned never to overload plug sockets, or plug more than 13 amps in to any socket at one time.

Should any wires on the tumble dryer become loose or fray, or plugs and sockets become hot or scorched, residents are urged to stop using the appliance immediately.

The Local Government Association, which represents 48 fire and rescue authorities in England and Wales, is calling on leading manufacturers to recall faulty tumble dryers which have been linked to thousands of fires caused by excess fluff contacting heating elements.

Station Commander Haley added: “A number of tumble dryer brands are reviewing the safety of their products so we would urge owners of Hotpoint, Indesit and Creda tumble dryers, manufactured between April 2004 and September 2015, to check the website safety.hotpoint.eu to see if their appliance is affected."