SMOKERS are leaving firefighters fuming by causing 11 per cent of all blazes in Lancashire.

The county ranks 18th out of 62 areas in a league table of smoking-related fires. According to the latest Regional Fires Survey, 309 out of 2,796 fires in Lancashire were started by smokers in 1993.

And insurer CGA Direct, who commissioned the survey, said the annual cost for damage caused to homes by smokers in the UK is a whopping £20 million a year.

Paul Purdy of the firm, said: "Official figures only record fires attended by the fire brigade, but as brigades are only called to between eight and 12 per cent of household fires.

"It is quite likely there are around another 60,000 less serious house fires caused by smoking." Now the firm is issuing guidelines to try and cut down the number of blazes.

They are;

Never smoke in bed.

Never use paper cups or other combustible items as ashtrays.

Always extinguish cigarettes properly, even in an ashtray.

Make sure contents are cold before emptying ashtrays.

Keep matches and lighters out of children's reach.

Up to 200 people are killed and 2,000 injured in smoking-related fires in Britain each year.

In some parts of the country, nearly a fifth of all fires are started by smokers.

West Sussex topped the table for fires caused by smokers, while Powys was bottom of the league.

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