A 'HOT Spot' team of officers from Merseyside Fire Service will be visiting homes in the Parr area to advise residents about fire safety.

The move follows the recent serious fire in Stretton Avenue, Parr, caused by an unattended pan. A third of all fires in the home are started by people cooking in the kitchen, the majority of those involving chip pans or grill pans.

The specialist team of about six officers complements the resources of the local fire station in Parr Stocks Road, and is assisted by the local Friends of the Fire Service group.

The team will be asking residents if they want a Home Fire Safety Check, which involves firefighters going into the home and giving advice about problems relating to fire, helping them with a fire escape plan for their home and, if necessary, fitting smoke detectors. The service is provided free of charge.

As part of the campaign, there will be an Open Day at the fire station in Parr Stocks Road on Saturday, August 5, starting at noon. This will include a chip pan fire demonstration, which will highlight the dangers of fire in the kitchen and what might happen if you put water on a chip pan fire. The simple message is don't.

AS a special incentive to encourage people to dump their chip pans in favour of deep fat fryers, the Fire Service have joined forces with Scottish Power and Comet in St Helens. For a limited time these stores will accept this article as a £5 voucher off the price of a new deep fat fryer. Just cut out this story and take it along to Comet or Scottish Power in St Helens and you will get a £5 discount off a deep fat fryer.