833,000 people in the North West are failing to get gas safety checks

MORE than 833,000 people in the North West of England are putting their health and finances at risk by not getting their gas appliances safety checked every year; which, according to a new survey among gas engineers in the region, costs as little as £48.

In the last year there have been more than 15,153 gas emergency call outs to homes in the region, the equivalent of 41 every day. On top of this the gas authority; Gas Safe Register; has found dangerous gas appliances lurking in 1 in 7 of the 14,916 homes it has inspected in the North West in the past 5 years. In Manchester, 1 in 3 homes had a dangerous appliance, while in Liverpool, it was just 1 in 185. These types of dangers have led to 6 deaths and more than 300 injuries in the last year alone across the UK.

Left unchecked, gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Not only can these kill you, they can also result in damage to your home which can run into thousands of pounds to rectify. Common problems associated with faulty or badly maintained gas appliances include black staining on surrounding walls, burst gas pipes, excessive condensation and in extreme cases, house fires and explosions.

Having a gas safety check is a legal requirement for landlords, however for homeowners the onus is on them to get this done. To mark this year's Gas Safety Week, Gas Safe Register is calling on homeowners to protect themselves and their property by having a safety check.

Jonathan Samuel, chief executive of Gas Safe Register comments:- "With the average cost of safety checking your gas boiler at just £48, it's a small price to pay to keep you and your family safe and prevent damage to your home. While we're seeing more people getting gas safety checks compared to last year, millions are still taking risks so we're reminding people to make sure all their gas appliances are safety checked every year."

The public can find out the number of unsafe gas appliances and gas incidents there have been in their local neighbourhood by visiting Gas Safe Register's interactive gas map at:- StayGasSafe.Co.UK.  People can also sign up to a free annual gas safety check reminder service.

To keep you and your family safe, follow Gas Safe Register's top tips:-

► Get your gas appliances safety checked and serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer every year. If you live in rented accommodation your landlord has a legal obligation to get this done.
► Recognise the warning signs that your gas appliances are not working properly including lazy yellow flames and black marks around the appliance.

► Know the symptoms of CO poisoning, including headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, collapse and loss of consciousness.

For more information about what's going on during Gas Safety Week, follow the twitter newsfeed @GasSafetyWeek, visit:- GasSafeRegister.Co.UK or call:- 0800 408 5500.

People with sight loss invited to attend open day and free training workshop to help them get online

RNIB's Online Today project will help people with sensory loss benefit from the internet.  Blind and partially sighted people in Sefton and West Lancs are invited to attend a Technology Awareness Open Day to see how they can sign up for a free online basic skills session to help them get online and benefit from technology.

Partner organisation Galloways Society for the Blind is opening its doors to demonstrate a range of technology, including laptops, tablets and smartphones, as well as encouraging people to attend one of a series of free online basic skills sessions taking place over the coming months.

The open day takes place at Galloways Society for the Blind, 22 Wright Street, Southport, on Tuesday, 22 September 2015, from 10am to 4pm.

The Online Today workshops are then being delivered by Galloways Society for the Blind and Action for Blind People on Wednesdays on the following dates:-

► 14 October 2015 and 28 October 2015,
► 11 November 2015 and 25 November 2015,
► 9 December 2015,
► 13 January 2016 and 27 January 2016,
► 10 February 2016 and 24 February 2016.

Anyone with sight loss who lives in the Southport area is welcome to attend 1 of them. The event is part of RNIB's Online Today scheme to get 125,000 people with sensory loss online.

The session will include how to get the most from products such as tablets, smartphones and eReaders. There will also be the chance to be hands-on and try out these gadgets and ask questions.

To find out more and to book your place call Carl Moore on:- 01704 534555 or send them an email.   You can also learn more about them online.

Formby Station's new lifts to open in next few days

THE long awaited lifts at Formby Station, on the Merseyrail Northern Line at to start operation within the next week, according to station staff. If the safety tests go to plan, the 2 brand new lifts will give greater access for disabled people at the station who had grate difficulty getting from one side to the other.  It will also mean that for the very 1st time in the stations history, disabled people, in wheelchairs, will now also be able to purchase tickets from the counter on the bridge and get to the trains below.  Please email your views and thoughts about the addition of these new lifts to us at:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com.