Firefighters have today issued a serious warning about the dangers of leaving matches and lighters unattended following house fires in North Wales.

Crews have attended 12 incidents as a result of children or young people playing with matches or lighters over the last four months across North Wales.

Terry Williams, Head of Community Safety, said: "Firefighters are often called to incidents where children have been playing with matches or lighters because they don't realise the dangers of fire. Another type of incidents which the firefighters have to attend are deliberate fires where children and young people have set items on fire deliberately without realising the dangers involved with these kind of incidents.

"Children are often curious and play with items that they are not familiar with. Our aim is to alert parents, children and young people about the dangers of fires and to encourage families to talk about fire safety with their children.

Here are some measures you can take in your home to make sure your children stay safe:

• don't leave children on their own in a room where there's a fire risk
• keep matches, lighters and candles in a place where children can't see or reach them - and put child locks on cupboards
• put a child-proof fireguard in front of an open fire or heater
• don't let children play or leave toys near a fire or heater
• keep portable heaters in a safe place where they can't be knocked over when they are being used or stored
• never leave children alone in the kitchen when you're cooking and never let them play near the cooker
• make sure electrical appliances are switched off when they are not being used

Tell children and young people:

• to tell a grown-up if they see matches or lighters lying around
• never to play with matches, lighters or lighted candles
• never to play, or leave toys close to a fire or heater
• not to put things on top of heaters or lights
• not to pull on electric cables or fiddle with electrical appliances or sockets
• never to switch on the cooker or put anything on top of it
• never to touch any saucepans on the cooker

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service offers free home fire safety checks, where a member of the Service will visit your home, give fire safety hints and tips, help you to formulate a fire escape plan and fit new alarms - all free of charge. This service is available to all residents in North Wales.

To register for a free home fire safety check, please call the bilingual 24 hour free hotline on 0800 169 1234 or visit www.freesmokealarm.co.uk