PEOPLE across Suffolk are today being warned to be on their guard for a possible influx of cheap, dangerous sofas into the county.Suffolk fire service and trading standards officers have become aware of shoddy imported sofas which fail fire regulations spectacularly.

PEOPLE across Suffolk are today being warned to be on their guard for a possible influx of cheap, dangerous sofas into the county.

Suffolk fire service and trading standards officers have become aware of shoddy imported sofas which fail fire regulations spectacularly.

These sofas ignite in 30 seconds and become an inferno in three minutes.

The warning comes after 135 sofas were seized by trading standards officers in Kent.

They are thought to have come from Poland, imported through Dover.

The sofas may be sold in car parks, service stations, door-to-door, at car boot sales and through private sales.

Warning shoppers, Peter Monk, the county council's portfolio holder for public protection, said: "Fire regulations are there for a reason, to save lives and protect the public.

"These sofas fail the regulations miserably, putting people in immediate danger in their own homes. The county council is working to reduce the number of lives lost to accidents and we don't want to see any of these death traps for sale in Suffolk."

"We have had no reports of any in the county so far but I'd urge the public to be on their guard against these cheap imported sofas. Any person approached in strange circumstances to buy a sofa, such as in a car park or at the door, should call the Trading Standards Advice Line on 01473 584358 to report the matter."

Before 1988 furniture fires accounted for 7.5 per cent of all house fires and 35 per cent of all fire deaths.

As a result, strict fire regulations on furniture were introduced to protect the public. Currently furniture fires account for just 0.25 percent of fires in the home and 14 per cent of deaths.