FIRE fighters are urging North Wales residents to extinguish the risk of fires by checking their smoke alarms.

The North Wales Fire and rescue service is offering anyone who lives in the region to take advantage of a free smoke alarm checking and installation service.

The initiative is aimed at keeping residents safe from the risk of fire.

According to the service web site, the 'safe and well' check takes about 20 minutes and can be arranged at the resident's convenience.

Fully trained fire and rescue service staff, who carry an identification card, will supply and install free lifesaving home smoke detectors or can ensure that your existing alarms are in working order

They will also provide advice on how to make homes safe from fire, help prepare escape plans to get people out of a property in the event of fire

They can also provide specialised equipment for deaf and hard of hearing people

The service can also assess whether a person is at high risk and may benefit from specialist equipment stay safe

Stuart Millington, Senior Fire Safety Manager, said: "We have seen the devastation that fires can cause first hand and know that a few simple precautions could have prevented countless tragedies.

"Don't let tragedy strike your family - stop the fire from starting in the first place."

Call 0800 169 1234 to register or visit the service website for more details.