A council house was damaged recently after a mobile phone charger caught fire and ignited a bag of clothes lying next to it.

The fire caused significant damage to the surrounding walls and electrical sockets and nearby belongings. Thankfully, no-one was injured.

Mobile phones are seen as an essential item in today's society and people are always on the lookout for a bargain, especially when it comes to replacing worn out or faulty chargers.

Over 1.8million chargers are bought online each year in the UK, but these can often come with their own hidden dangers. Although it can be cheaper to buy imported, unofficial chargers, fake mobile phone chargers are often made with poor quality components that fail to meet UK safety regulations. This means they can cause injury, electric shocks and even fires.

It is recommended that you:

• follow instructions for all electrical devices and that you use the correct chargers in line with the manufacturer's guidance. If the wrong charger is used for an electrical, the internal battery can't handle a different voltage and it can catch fire
• stop using a charger if you suspect that it is faulty or fake
• do not use a charger if you have to force it into the wall socket, and don't use it on an extension lead
• follow the manufacturer's instructions on how long to charge a product
• always buy from a shop you know and trust, an approved retailer or direct from the manufacturer of the same name as the device
• do not leave phone chargers plugged in overnight as they can overheat and cause fires
• do not leave phones charging on soft furnishings or cover it while it's charging

Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Councillor Clive Moesby said: "Cheap is not always best as you pay for what you get. By following these simple recommendations, you could be saving yourself a lot of heartache and pain in the future. So next time you are looking to buy a replacement or new charger, just think and say to yourself, is mine or my family's life worth saving that fiver for?"

For more information on this and general fire safety please visit Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service.