Nottinghamshire residents are being offered another chance to replace their old or damaged electric mattress blankets, free of charge, next week.

The county council’s Trading Standards Team will be carrying out electric blanket safety testing, in partnership with Electrical Safety First, at Sutton Library on Monday 2 December.

Shockingly, 60% of electric blankets tested at the council’s recent safety events were found to be unsafe, prompting an appeal to Nottinghamshire residents to check their blankets for signs of wear. A total of 282 electric blankets were tested at three events in Cotgrave, Newark and Retford in October, with the age being the biggest factor in the failure of 170 of these.

Any electric mattress blankets brought to next week’s event will be tested and replaced with a new one should they fail the safety testing. Any blankets which fail safety testing will not be handed back to residents.

Faulty or damaged electric blankets cause countless fires across the UK every year, so it’s vital to check them regularly. In 2022/23, there were three fires in Nottinghamshire with causes attributed to electric blankets, which sadly resulted in two fatalities.

The county council’s Trading Standards team advises that blankets displaying scorch marks, fraying fabric, exposed elements, damp patches loose connections, tie tapes that are damaged or missing and creasing and folding are of particular concern and should be brought along for testing. Even without any of these warning signs, it is recommended that electric blankets are replaced every ten years.

Residents wishing to book an appointment can do so by calling 0115 804 4555.

Councillor Gordon Wheeler, Deputy Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Health at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “We’re really keen that residents sign up to get their blankets tested at our new date in December. I’d like to reassure anyone who may be thinking about attending that they won’t be left without an electric blanket should theirs fail safety testing as our friendly trading standards team will be on hand to issue a brand new one if needs be.”

Nottinghamshire residents are also advised to avoid buying a second-hand electric blanket and to make sure that any blanket they purchase displays the British or European standard and a safety certification mark.

-  Ends -