FIREFIGHTERS have come up with their own version of the Twelve Days of Christmas song to highlight festive safety.

Cleveland Fire Brigade are raising awareness of the dangers of faulty fairy lights, candles, overloaded sockets, ovens full of grease, clothes on heaters and decorations are among those highlighted as potential triggers to spark fires.

Phil Lancaster, the brigade's director of community protection, said: “Christmas is a magical time of the year but it is also the time of year when there are more fire hazards in the home. Taking simple precautions like checking the lights on the tree, making sure candles are properly blown out and not putting too many plugs in sockets, can keep it that way. Don’t let your Christmas go up in flames.”

The warnings come with the launch of a national Fire Kills campaign video showing a Christmas tree catching fire and engulfing a living room in a shocking 46 seconds.

The dangers, which can be adapted to the tune of the Twelve Days of Christmas are: electrical fires; lungs of toxic smoke; decorations burnt; drunken midnight feast; cigarettes in bed; overloaded sockets; candles not blown out; broken smoke alarm; oven full of grease; no escape route; clothes drying on the heater; and faulty fairy lights on the tree.