CLEVELAND Fire Brigade generated nearly 350 safety visits in two days when crime prevention and fire safety officers set out their stall in a local shopping centre.

The brigade joined Cleveland Police, Safe in Tees Valley, Middlesbrough Council and the CSV/ Retired Senior Volunteer programme to raise awareness of crime prevention during the dark winter nights.

Firefighters from Middlesbrough Fire Station attended, to encourage shoppers to sign up for a free home fire safety check, and gave advice on fire safety.

The 343 people who signed up for the visits were entered into a draw to win a deep fat fryer.

Community safety officer Ed Parish said: "This was a great way to speak to shoppers about how we could help them be safer from fire and safer from crime.

"We got lots of messages from different partners across to the public in such a short space of time.

"A huge amount of home fire safety checks were generated and it's fantastic that 60 percent of them were elderly people, as they tend to be more at risk.