AS decorations, present wrapping and Christmas dinner preparations get under way, Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) is reminding people not to let fire safety take a back seat during December.

December is the worst month of the year for accidental fires in the home, with around 20 people a day either killed or injured statistics show.

Advice includes ensuring you have a working smoke alarm, do not leave cooking unattended, turn off kitchen appliances when finished with and do not overload electrical sockets.

Chief Fire Officer Jon Hall said: “Nobody means to have an accident but, sometimes, our excitement gets the better of us.

“Be happy and have fun, but please just have a mind to the messages we’re issuing while you do.”

For more information about fire safety over the festive period, visit www.glosfire.gov.uk