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Time for blanket checks
NORTHUMBERLAND pensioners are being urged to get their electric blankets safety checked next month to ensure they sleep safe and warm this winter.
Free 'MOT' checks are being carried out by Trading Standards Officers in Cramlington Lynemouth, Morpeth, Ashington and Blyth during the week beginning October 11.
Testing will be by appointment only and appointments can be made by all Northumberland pensioners by calling (01670) 534570 from September 27.
Since numbers are limited, early booking is advisable. Arrangements can be made to collect blankets for anyone who is housebound.
Although the testing centres are being held in the South East of the County this year, all pensioners in Northumberland can make an appointment to attend.
The initiative has been jointly organised by Northumberland County Councils Trading Standards and Age Concern Northumberland, with assistance from Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service and Three Rivers Housing Association (formerly Northumberland STARS (Small Tasks and Repairs Service)).
As well as having their blankets tested, pensioners can also receive other useful information about their consumer and legal rights.
The testing days are planned for
Monday, October 11 - Concordia Leisure Centre, Forum Way, Cramlington, NE23 6YD
Tuesday, October 12 - Lynemouth Resource Centre, Bridge Road, Lynemouth, NE61 5YJ
Wednesday, October 13 - Blind Association, Reiver House, Staithes Lane, Morpeth, NE61 1TD
Thursday, October 14 - Age Concern, The Round House, Lintonville Parkway, Ashington NE63 9JZ
Friday, October 15 - Blyth Sports Centre, Bolam Avenue, Blyth, NE24 5BT
In the event of blankets failing the tests, brand new replacements will be available at a reduced cost.
The funding for this is being provided by Age Concern Northumberland.
Trading Standards currently run the testing exercise on a three year programme and this year testing will be carried out in venues in the South East of Northumberland with tests in previous years taking place in the North and West.
Alan Kirsop, Trading Standards manager for Northumberland County Council, said: "Although not all electric blankets are dangerous, research indicates that blankets over ten years old are responsible for the majority of electric blanket fires and so I strongly advise anyone with a blanket of this age or older to arrange to have it checked.
"In a similar exercise carried out last year elsewhere in the county 49 per cent of the blankets tested initially failed."
Anne Robinson, health promotions manager for Age Concern, said: "It is very important to Age Concern that older people are safe.
"We are covering much of the cost of any blankets which need to be replaced so that as many people as possible can sleep safely this winter."
Coun Alan Thompson added: "I applaud this initiative which Trading Standards undertakes each year with our partners.
"With such a high number of blankets failing last year, it is certainly worth getting yours checked."
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Weather for Blyth
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Light sleet
Temperature: -0 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 2 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: West
