SUPPLY company Wales & West Utilities is marking Gas Safety Week by warning Cornwall residents about the risks of failing to ensure the gas appliances in their home are properly maintained.

As the autumn sets in and temperatures begin to fall, many people will be switching on their central heating or gas fires for the first time in months – without considering the potential dangers.

Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning, known as the ‘silent killer’. In the UK each year around 40 people die and more than 4,000 are injured due to CO poisoning.