Surrey's firefighters have issued reminders on how to prevent festive fires in the kitchen this Christmas.

Surrey Fire and Rescue Service reports that during the festive period they see a 33% increase in house fires, with kitchen and chimney fires accounting for the majority of them. These fires are particularly common among lone older people and families with young children.

Denise Turner Stewart, SCC's Cabinet Member for Communities, said: "We are all aware that there is a higher risk of a fire at Christmas, with more distractions and decorations within our homes.

"The service is prepared to respond at any time, with our wonderful crews and control staff working 24/7 throughout the festive period, but we're asking you to play your part to prevent fires from happening in the first place."

Tips to prevent Christmas cooking chaos:

Don't cook under the influence of alcohol.

Make sure saucepan handles don't stick out, that way they won't get knocked off the stove.

Keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob.

If you need to leave the kitchen while cooking, take pans off the heat or turn them down. Double check your cooker is off when you've finished.

Keep the oven, hob and grill clean and in good working order. A build-up of fat and grease can ignite a fire.

If oil starts to smoke, it's too hot. Turn off the heat and leave it to cool.

Use a thermostat-controlled electric deep fat fryer as they can't overheat.

If a pan catches fire, don't take any risks, turn off the heat if it is safe to do so. Never throw water over burning oil. Don't tackle the fire yourself – get out, stay out, call 999. For more information, and some family-friendly fire safety tips and activities, visit the website.