THE Fire Service has warned that half term could lead to a rise in children being injured in the kitchen.

The Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service has urged parents to make their children aware of the hazards in a kitchen, particularly hot hobs.

Alison McDonald, prevention service support manager at GMFRS said: “There are lots of creative and fun ways to teach children about cooking fire safety. It’s vital that they know what to do if the worst should ever happen.

“Why not take the chance to pass on some tips and guidance on fire safety in the kitchen? Testing your smoke alarms is a great way to show children the correct way to minimise the risks from fires in your home.

“Young children are admitted to hospital every day because they’ve been burned or scalded in the home; a hot drink can scald a small child or baby even 15 minutes after it's been made, so keep them out of reach of children."

In Greater Manchester between 2014/15 and 2016/17, 67 per cent of all accidental house fires started in the kitchen. The top three sources were the cooker, the grill/toaster and a separate ring/hot plate.