FIREFIGHTERS have teamed up with a supermarket in a drive to ensure the safety and wellbeing of residents.

Tesco Extra, based at Dragonville Industrial Estate in Durham, are helping County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS) to promote their Safe and Wellbeing Visits.

Tesco will include these leaflets in each home delivery they make, to encourage their customers to book a Safe and Wellbeing Visit.

Safe and Wellbeing Visits are offered by the fire service to every household in County Durham and Darlington.

They are completely free and provide a bespoke service delivered in the homes of residents by fire crews.

The crew identify potential fire hazards, provide fire safety advice and supply and fit smoke alarms for free. If required, the visits also offer the opportunity for residents to be referred to partner agencies for health issues.

The idea was originally thought of by Watch Manager Andy Bennett, who is based at the Durham fire station.

He said “I saw a Tesco home delivery van delivering someone’s online shop, when the idea occurred to me.

"I approached the manager at the Durham store and explained the Safe and Wellbeing Visits that we offer, who was more than happy to help.

“The visits are an essential tool in preventing fires occurring in the first place and ultimately they make the homes in our community a safer”.

Tesco will start including the leaflets in every home delivery from December and will run over the next six months.

Jason King, store manager at the Tesco Extra store said “"As the Store Manager of Tesco Durham Extra, I am proud to be able to use our scale for good to support the great work of the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service with their Safe and Wellbeing campaign.

“We strive as a company to work at the heart of every community and I personally feel by supporting this campaign we are demonstrating our passion for this.

"We will be working in partnership to communicate the importance of having a working smoke alarm to our Tesco.com customers at an important time of the year".

Anyone who would like to book a Safe and Wellbeing Visit with CDDFRS should contact their community safety team who will arrange a convenient appointment for the crew from their local fire station to visit.

For more information contact 0345 2234 221 or email csenquiries@ddfire.gov.uk