Free electric blanket testing ahead of winter

Residents whose blankets fail a safety check will be offered a free replacement, the council says.

Free electric blanket safety checks are being offered to Wolverhampton residents as part of a "get ready for winter" campaign.

If a blanket fails the tests, residents of the city would be offered a replacement free of charge, said City of Wolverhampton Council.

People can take their blankets to be checked at Wolverhampton Market on Wednesday between 09:30 and 16:00 BST, or Bilston Indoor Market during the same time period on Thursday 2 October.

General support and advice on energy bills were also available during the events, added the authority, which said that although appointments were not necessary, there could be a wait.

"The testing is really important ahead of the colder weather as the condition of blankets can deteriorate over time," said councillor Bhupinder Gakhal.

"They can also develop faults which can risk injury or cause fires."

All the leads, controls and plugs associated with the blankets need to be tested, and funding for replacement blankets for those that fail is being provided by the charity Electrical Safety First.

"We'd urge all local people, especially our older residents, to take advantage of these free checks," added the cabinet member for resident services.

During the two days, the council's trading standards team is also offering guidance on how people can protect themselves from rogue traders and bogus callers.