Despite the sizzling sunshine old people in Kingston will be getting out their electric blankets next month.

Kingston Council is asking them to bring the blankets in for testing after discovering that half may be defective or dangerous.

When Kingston Trading Standards carried out the tests last year it found that of 63 blankets tested 34 were unserviceable and 25 were dangerous.

One of the blankets was 40 years old although manufacturers state that the normal life of a blanket is around 10 years.

Defective electric blankets cause hundreds of fires and Home Office statistics reveal that nationally 20 people are killed and 200 injured each year.

Many of these victims are elderly people.

Ted Forsyth, chief trading standards officer said: "Given the disturbing failure rate last year, when 54 per cent of electric blankets tested in Kingston were classed as unsafe, we are holding a day of free checks again this year.

"This is particularly to reduce the risk to anyone using older style blankets."

The free checks are on Wednesday, September 9. To book call Kingston Trading Standards on 0181 547 5518.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.