THE fire service is urging everyone in East Lancashire to perform a ‘Tick Tock Test’ when going round changing the clocks this weekend.

Through its Fire Kills campaign, the service said that smoke alarms save lives — but only if they work.

In more than 70 per cent of fire deaths last year there was no working smoke alarm.

Bosses at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said they were determined to prevent as many deaths as possible and make sure people test their alarms when the clocks change.

Lancashire’s Chief Fire Officer Chris Kenny said: “Tick, Tock, Test is straight talking, easy to remember and intrinsically links clock change weekend to testing your smoke alarm.

“Everyone soon notices when a clock stops ticking, but it is not so easy to be sure that your smoke alarm is still in working order.

“Whether the battery is flat, has been used for a kid’s toy or the connection is loose, everyone should take the time to test.

“And, as more than half the people who died in home fires last year were 65-years-old or above, this is also a perfect opportunity to test alarms for older relatives who might find it hard to reach their alarms but are at greater risk.”