Our top Halloween safety tips:

• Use LED battery lights instead of candles in pumpkins and elsewhere

•Place candles, pumpkins or any flame out of way of trick-or-treaters, doorways and paths;

•Don’t put them too close to paths where ‘trick or treaters’ in their flowing costumes might catch fire;

•When choosing or making a costume, avoid billowing or long trailing fabric and make sure it is flame retardant;

•Keep an eye on children at all times when around lit candles;

•Use flashlights instead of garden candles and lanterns for decorating your house and paths;

•Keep pets safely away from any lit flames;

•Avoid plastic capes and using bin liners as costumes;

•Keep flowing items like fake hair and capes away from candle and other flames;

•If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eye holes are large enough so they can see clearly;

•Give children electric torches to light their way instead of candles;

•Keep highly flammable decorations like dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper well away from naked flames and heat

sources like light bulbs and heaters;

•If you must use candles use extra long matches or a utility lighter to light candles inside pumpkins  and place them well away from anything that can burn;

•Keep exits clear of decorations, so nothing blocks escape routes

What should you do if a costume catches fire? Stop, drop, cover and roll!

Fancy dress costumes are regulated as toys not clothes so don’t meet the same safety standards as children’s clothing. Make a game of teaching children what to do if their fancy dress costume catches fire. They should:

STOP still

DROP to the ground

COVER their face with hands

ROLL over to put the flames out.

Call 999 immediately if a costume catches fire.