LIVES are being put at risk by potentially faulty smoke alarms that have been installed by Lancashire fire bosses, according to unions.

Around 130,000 of the detectors, made by a company called Dicon, have been installed by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service as part of a home fire safety drive.

They have sealed batteries that are supposed to last 10 years, but the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) is warning that they start beeping much sooner, sparking fears residents will disable them because of the noise.

They are now being replaced after hundreds of complaints were made to the fire service’s headquarters and bosses have switched to a different brand of detector.

An investigation is underway and negotiations are underway over who should cover the cost.

A spokesman for the fire service said Dicon detectors had been used between 2005 and 2008.

He said: “They have a 10-year lifetime battery, but we have been getting reports that the batteries were failing after five years.

“The fear is that people will have disconnected them.”

There had been no reports of this happening so far, he added, urging people to contact the fire service if their alarm starts beeping.

The FBU said the possibility of people removing the batteries was a “major concern” that “clearly puts lives at risk.”

In a statement, Dicon said it was liaising with Lancashire as well as Greater Manchester and Merseyside fire services, which all used its detectors.

It said: “We are working very closely with them to investigate and resolve any issues that they believe they may have with our products.”

The firm said the alarms were designed to carry on working during the beeping warning period and said it was vital for people to carry out regular checks.