A fifty-year old electric blanket was one of 177 electric blankets still in use which failed county council safety tests recently.

People are now being urged to follow electric blanket safety advice this winter after 1 in 5 blankets tested were found to be unfit for use.

Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service and Trading Standards tested 831 electric blankets at homes across Oxfordshire and found that 21 per cent failed the test, the lowest failure rate since the campaign began 18 years ago.

Station manager Chris Barber said the failure rate was ‘worrying’ and added: “If the condition of your electric blanket is allowed to deteriorate there is the possibility of electric shocks or electrical burns, which can cause permanent damage or fires.

“The more faulty electric blankets that can be identified and removed from use, then the greater the number of potential house fires we can prevent.

“I would like to encourage anyone who did not manage to get their electric blanket tested this year to check for wear and tear and frayed wires before using it this winter.

“If it is over ten years old I strongly recommend that you replace the blanket.”