Ipswich is one of the most dangerous places in the country when it comes to unsafe gas appliances.

The town is number five in the table of shame from the body that tries to ensure Britain’s gas appliances are safe.

The Gas Safe Register found that 28% of appliances inspected in Ipswich were found to be dangerous – only four cities have a higher proportion of unsafe appliances.

The register is authorised by the Health and Safety Executive to monitor and check gas appliance inspections across the country – it replaced the CORGI standard in 2009.

All gas appliances should be checked and serviced regularly by an engineer who is registered to carry out the work.

The findings have led the Register to link up with fire services to issue a joint festive gas safety warning. December continues to be the time of year that Gas Safe Register finds the highest number of unsafe appliances in UK homes.

Jonathan Samuel, chief executive at Gas Safe Register, said: “Christmas is a fun and exciting time of the year for families who get together and relax in their homes.

“However, it can quickly go wrong if families’ gas appliances stop working or become unsafe. Our data shows that December is a month where a lot of unsafe gas appliances are found as part of our investigations.

“Gas Safe Register is urging families to ensure that they get their annual gas safety check in time for the Christmas festivities so that they can enjoy the holidays with peace of mind that their gas appliances are working safely and efficiently.”

A Suffolk Fire and Rescue Spokeswoman said: “It is important that appliances are installed correctly by a registered engineer, well maintained and regularly checked.

“Good housekeeping, such as regularly servicing an appliance can prolong it’s life and reduce the risk of fire. All residents should ensure smoke alarms are fitted in their property and tested regularly.”

The top of the list for unsafe gas appliances was Edinburgh where 40% were found to be unsafe. This was followed by

Birmingham with 33%, Norwich with 31%, Swindon with 29% before Ipswich came in with 28% of gas appliances found to be dangerous.