SUFFOLK Fire Service is backing a national campaign to cut the number of kitchen fires.The campaign starts this week and runs until March 16, focusing on preventing fires which start in the kitchen.

SUFFOLK Fire Service is backing a national campaign to cut the number of kitchen fires.

The campaign starts this week and runs until March 16, focusing on preventing fires which start in the kitchen.

The key message is 'Fire starts when your attention stops', which highlights the need to take care when cooking and that leaving something on the hob or under the grill for just a few minutes can have terrible consequences.

Community fire safety officers in Suffolk will be holding chip pan fire demonstrations across the county over the next month to show people the dangers of kitchen fires.

More fires start in the kitchen than in any other room and they account for 60 per cent of fire related injuries.

Martyn Thorpe, community fire safety officer, said: "Cooking is an everyday activity, but leaving cooking unattended is a major cause of fire. It is when people are cooking with fat or oil, and particularly chip pans, that injuries and death are most common."

The chip pan demonstrations will be visiting the following locations, the demonstrations will all be taking place in the market place or centre of these towns:

19 February – Woodbridge

21 February - Sudbury

22 February - Stowmarket

26 February – Leiston in the morning, Saxmundham in the afternoon

27 February – Hadleigh

Suffolk Fire service is keen to obtain another chip pan demonstrator to help get the fire safety message across to people in Suffolk. The fire service would be interested to hear from any businesses or clubs interested in community safety or fire safety who would like to sponsor a new chip pan demonstrator.

Anyone interested is more than welcome to come along to one or the demonstrations or contact Martyn Thorpe directly on 01473 588888.