'Lives at risk' over lack of electric blanket tests

Elderly peoples' lives are being put at risk by the lack of electric blanket tests in Bognor Regis, a councillor has warned.

The town has been omitted from this year's timetable for the free checks carried out by West Sussex County Council's trading standards service.

They were instead held at nine other locations around West Sussex over a ten-day period.

The value of the tests can be seen by the fact that 267 of the 734 blankets tested last year, including those in Bognor, failed.

Of those, 53 were considered dangerous and 214 were not recommended for further use.

Using those figures, it could mean that some 29 unsafe blankets in Bognor were missed this time because of the absence of the checks.

County councillor Francis Oppler, who represents Bognor Regis East, said he was unaware of the situation until the Observer highlighted Bognor's omission from the timetable of checks.

"Failing to hold the tests in Bognor is putting peoples' lives at risk," he said.

"Bognor has a large number of elderly and vulnerable people. For many of them, an electric blanket supplies their warmth during the winter months.

"For this reason, it's absolutely imperative that the trading standards department carries out the safety checks in Bognor for all who want them.

"This is a matter of urgency and I will be raising it with the county council and the cabinet member responsible for trading standards to ensure that people in Bognor are adequately protected."