MORE than half of the electric blankets tested at an annual safety event were condemned as dangerous, it hasd emerged.

A total of 73 out of the 138 tested at Age UK this week were deemed too unsafe to use - a fail rate of 53 per cent, which is a record high for the blanket testing event.

The testing highlights the issue that many people are unknowingly using potentially lethal appliances in their homes.

Electrical-related fires account for almost half of the accidental domestic fires in the UK.

Every year, dangerous blankets cause house fires in the borough, with 97 per cent of these blazes are caused by electric blankets that are more than ten years old.

The testing, organised by Darlington Borough Council and Age UK, was carried out with Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service on hand to offer fire safety advice.

Other organisations, including Gold (Growing Older Living in Darlington) and the Energy Saving Trust, were also there to offer advice and information.

A council spokeswoman said: “Many people do not consider the potential dangers of using an electric blanket, especially an old or damaged one.”

“These tests show that many people are still using dangerous electric blankets and if you missed this year’s testing, or have any concerns about your electric blanket, I would strongly advise you to have it checked over by a qualified electrician.”

Since the start of Darlington’s electric blanket testing campaign in 2003, 1,144 electric blankets have been tested with 462 found to be unsafe.