THE fire brigade has issued fresh warnings to owners of electric blankets after a blaze this week.

Firefighters from Malvern were called to The Farleys, Cradley, just after 10.30pm on Monday. An electric blanket left on a bed while turned on had caught light.

Firefighters arrived and used breathing apparatus to enter the house and put out the fire. The bedroom was heavily smoke damaged.

Andy Dugard, community fire safety officer at Malvern Fire Station, warned users of electric blankets to be careful when they used them.

Problems are caused when people use blankets for the first time in a long period, without having them tested. Leaving them folded with weight on top of them can damage the element and damage the wiring.

"Any blanket that's over ten years old shouldn't be used," Mr Dugard said.

"It's one of the number-one killers in the country. People are generally asleep in their bed when it happens and it burns because they forget to switch it off. It's the smoke that kills you before you feel the heat of the fire. You wouldn't know anything about it."

Mr Dugard stressed that prevention is better than cure, but if fire does break out, he said: "Get out, stay out, get the Fire Brigade out."

The Fire Brigade can be contacted for free advice and a home safety check on 0800 032 1155.