They are one of the most expensive appliances to run, but sometimes in the winter when the rain is lashing down and the sun is nowhere to be seen, it’s hard to avoid running a tumble dryer to keep up with the washing.

But fire services are constantly reminding households of the risks of running a tumble dryer in their kitchen and have warned people not to ever leave them unattended or on overnight because of the huge fire risk they create.

More so even than washing machines, tumble dryers are a high risk appliance. According to South Wales Fire Service, they account for 57% of all fires involving white goods.

And the risks are at their peak when the appliances are left alone, such as running while you’re out or in bed.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Watch Manager Ian McIntosh explained what happened when he was called out to a fire started by a tumble dryer late in the evening. He said: “On arrival we found the ground floor of the property heavily smoke logged. We located the fire in the kitchen and two fire fighters wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the fire using a hose reel jet which had spread from the tumble dryer.

“Luckily the residents, a mother and her five children aged between 9 and 16 years of age, had noticed the smoke and been able to escape from the incident unharmed.

“The family were temporarily rehoused as the fire and left the kitchen badly damaged, with smoke damage extending to most of the remainder of the property. But their loss could have been immeasurably worse as the fire took hold at around 10.30pm – the family could easily have been in bed at the time and the fire could have been life threatening.”

The three Welsh fire services have urged households to take two simple steps to cut the risk of tumble dryer fires which will apply to any part of the UK.

They said: “Don’t overload plug sockets – the high wattage for a tumble dryer means that it needs its own 13-amp socket. Keep an eye out for any scorching or burn marks, including checking any visible electrical wires.

“Don’t leave appliances unattended – don’t turn the tumble dryer on before you leave the house or go to bed. Tumble dryers contain powerful motors with fast moving parts that can get very hot.”