TUMBLE dryer owners are being urged to take precautions and organise repairs if necessary now that a number of tumble dryer brands are reviewing the safety of their dryers.

The advice from Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service follows the death of a woman in Frankley on Sunday, February 7 after a tumble dryer caught fire in her home.

Alan Haley, station commander from the community risk department, said: “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 and to allow for the manufacturers advice to organise repairs.”

West Midlands Fire investigators have established that the tumble dryer from the fire in Frankley was not a model on any current recall list but investigations into the precise cause of the fire are still underway.

Mr Haley continued: “People are using tumble dryers more frequently, especially now that the weather is cold, so we would like to issue some advice when using these appliances, in particular never leave a tumble dryer on when you are out of the house.”

The service advises residents to always follow manufacturer instructions and to clean the filters regularly to ensure they do not become blocked with fluff.

Tumble dryer owners are also advised not to use tumble dryers at night or while unattended and to remove items from the dryer immediately after the cycle has finished.

Finally, Hereford and Wocester Fire and Rescue Service ask residents not to overload plug sockets and to ensure that no more than 13 amps are in any one plug socket at a time.

For more information about which appliances are affected by recent reviews, visit safety.hotpoint.eu.