REDDITCH fire station's Safe Home project has so far seen crews visit 195 properties across the town and fit 237 smoke detectors.

During a home visit, fire crews carry out a full search of the property looking for potential fire hazards or anything which could hinder an escape in the event of a blaze.

While some members of the crew look around the homes, the occupants are asked a series of questions covering all aspects of fire safety - from escape routes to whether or not they own a deep fat fryer.

I was invited to witness Redditch fire station's Red Watch carry out a check at a Greenlands home which didn't have any smoke detectors.

The resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "I have just moved in with my partner and we didn't have any smoke detectors so I rang the council and they put us in touch with the fire station, who told me about this scheme."

While Sub Officer Toni Ventura quizzed the couple, he raised a couple of important points about planning escape routes and ensuring doors downstairs were shut when the couple went to bed in order to prevent a fire from spreading.

Meanwhile, firefighters Mel Teague and Tim Aris set about fitting smoke detectors upstairs and downstairs.

Firefighter Teague explained: "We've had a look around and one of the things we noticed was the socket in the bedroom with two plugs coming off it.

"This can be dangerous as they can get very hot. It's much better to have a strip with a number of sockets on.

"We've also noticed the carpet at the top of the stairs has curled up a bit which could be a hazard."

Afterwards, the resident said: "They've certainly made us think about a few things. I think these home safety checks will benefit everyone."

For details, call 0800 0321155 or email cfs@hwfire.org.uk