PEOPLE are being urged to take care while having a flippin’ good time this Pancake Day.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS) is urging cooks to ensure they never leave frying pans unattended and that children are kept a safe distance away from the stove on Shrove Tuesday next week.

Between April 1, 2011, and March 31, 2012, the service was called to 399 accidental house and flat fires, with 233 of these or 58 per cent having started in the kitchen.

Station commander Alan Haley from the community safety department at HWFRS, said: “Making pancakes can be lots of fun for the whole family but a high proportion of accidental fires in the home start in the kitchen, and so it’s essential to take care, especially when cooking with hot oil.”

He also urged people to test their smoke alarms to ensure they are working as part of Test it Tuesday - a national initiative aimed at encouraging people to check their smoke alarms on a weekly basis.

More kitchen safety advice can be found at hwfire.org.uk.