DARLINGTON Council’s trading standards team has secured £8,000 of government funding to test the safety of plug-in nightlights on sale in the borough.

The money, from the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), will deliver a national market surveillance project checking the electrical safety, construction and marking of selected nightlights bought from Darlington retailers.

The project follows last year’s successful bid for £15,000 of funding to test the safety of smoke alarms.

Chris McEwan, Darlington Council’s cabinet member for economy and regeneration said: “It is vital that electrical items used in our homes are safe.

“Unsafe electrical products are a danger to life and can even cause fires.

“It is reassuring to know that trading standards is working with businesses and regulatory partners to ensure the products that we assume are safe are actually safe.”