Tumble dryers to blame for 80 house fires in Shropshire since 2009

Shropshire Fire and Rescue confirmed that it had been called to 77 fires involving the appliances, with 16 people injured as a result.

The news has emerged after Freedom of Information figures revealed that brigades across England attend more than 300 tumble dryer fires every year.

In total fire brigades were called to 926 tumble dryer fires between 2011 and 2013, amounting to 309 each year.

According to the data revealed in the Freedom of Information request, Hotpoint models accounted for the highest number of dryer-related fires, with 410 in the three-year period.

It comes after thousands of appliance owners received warnings that some Hotpoint, Creda and Indesit-branded machines could pose a fire risk.

A spokesman for Shropshire Fire and Rescue urged people to ensure their electrical appliances are properly maintained.

He said: "The first thing is to make sure you do not overload them. That can be a big problem. The second is that it is an appliance and it is a piece of machinery and you need to make sure it is maintained properly. If you are worried that it is not working properly then you should get a qualified person to look at it.

"Perhaps most importantly make sure you register your appliance, that way you do not miss out on important information like product recalls. It is surprising how many electrical appliance fires could be prevents by registering your appliance and checking the updates."

Last year, research by consumer group Which? showed tumble dryers were the second biggest cause of house fires, accounting for 12 per cent behind washing machines on 14 per cent.

Commenting on the latest figures, Which? executive director Richard Lloyd said: "More needs to be done to protect consumers from this risk and it is crucial that products known to be dangerous are recalled as quickly as possible."

Indesit warned last November the problem with its machines could occur when excess fluff came into contact with the heating element.

It was discovered after parent company Whirlpool ordered a review of Indesit's product safety.

The products affected are the manufacturer's condenser and vented tumble dryers made and sold under the three brands between April 2004 and September 2015.

Customers can check online if their appliance is among those affected by keying in the model and serial number on the Indesit website.

The firm offers a one-hour service to correct the issue and advises owners not to leave a machine awaiting repair unattended while it is in use.