FAMILIES in Cheshire are being urged to check their smoke alarms as they prepare to turn the clocks back on Sunday.

The clocks go back at 2am on October 26 and, as summer time officially ends, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is asking people to prepare for the autumn and winter by checking their smoke alarms.

Chair of the fire authority Cllr Tony Hooton said: “Many people will be thinking about keeping warm, lighting central heating boilers and turning on electric blankets. While preparing for autumn and winter, which we hope won’t be too severe, don’t forget to check your smoke alarm.

“More and more homes now have smoke alarms but over a 12-month period in Cheshire over a third of dwellings where smoke alarms were fitted did not activate due to failure or defective equipment, often caused by the battery being disconnected, missing or needing replacement.”

If you have a conventional smoke alarm the following advice should be noted:

Regularly check the alarm by pressing the button.

Annually vacuum and wipe the smoke alarm casing to ensure dust isn’t blocking the sensor chamber (for mains wired alarms, switch off first).

Never remove the battery to use it for other purposes.

Cllr Hooton added: “Dead batteries can be replaced, dead families cannot.”