As part of the 'Fire Kills' campaign, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service is encouraging people to make their homes safer by registering machines at registermyappliance.org.uk to ensure all their home appliances, particularly older previously forgotten ones, can be located if a safety repair is ever needed.

Recent government research has revealed 49% of people never registered their products, and the domestic appliances used in essential tasks such as cooking and refrigerating food, washing laundry and dishes, and vacuuming total over 210 million.

Nearly 60 leading brands are represented on the portal, with most makes welcoming details of products up to 12 years old.

For 19% of the population, the kitchen is the heart of the home, and during lockdown, the kitchen has taken on a much greater role, according to a recent survey.

During the pandemic, in addition to baking treats (31%) and trying new recipes (20%), the kitchen was the hub for keeping in touch with distant friends and family for more than one in five (22%), online party central, for discos, Karaoke and quizzes for 16%, closely followed by gym bunny heaven for 15%, as well as home hair and beauty salon for a similar 15%.

Will Bowen, home fire safety manager, said: "With restrictions relaxing, while we are still near our kitchens, it’s a great opportunity to remember to register all the indispensable appliances, particularly older ones that kept us ticking over during lockdown. They should never be taken for granted, nor should the safety of your household. It is also vital that appliances are installed and used according to the instructions, and advice on safe usage is also available on the Register My Appliance portal."