Leaving a mobile phone charging unattended increases the chances of household pets burning to death according to a warning issued by Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service.

New research from Electrical Safety First has revealed that animal lovers are putting millions of beloved pets at risk by exposing them to electrical hazards in the home.

Although 65 per cent of pet owners said their pet would be a greater loss than material possessions in the event of a fire, the research found that two thirds of pet owners admitted to leaving mobile phones charging unattended, an increasingly frequent cause of accidental electrical fires.

This increase can be partly attributed to an increase in the number of fake and substandard chargers available on the market, with 1.8?million chargers are online each year in the UK by mobile phone owners in search of a bargain. But these chargers are often made with poor quality components that fail to meet UK safety regulations.

To mark Electrical Fire Safety Week, Electrical Safety First and Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service have produced some simple tips as part of the Fire Kills campaign to reduce the risks of electrical fires in the home to help householders keep their pets, and all of their loved ones, safe:

• Ensure that mobile phones are not left charging for long periods of time.

• Never leave devices plugged in to charge overnight or whilst you are out of the house

• Look out for the CE mark that indicates chargers comply with European Safety standards

• Don’t overload plug sockets

• Never leave appliances unattended – don’t turn the dishwasher or washing machine on just before you leave the house or go to bed

• Don’t leave portable heaters switched on and unattended – this is particularly risky when pets are running around and likely to knock things over

• Make sure you have at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home and test them monthly.

Emma Apter, head of communications at Electrical Safety First, said: "Pets are a part of the family and nobody wants to think of them helpless in the event of a fire. In Electrical Fire Safety Week, we would like to encourage everybody to help keep their pets and the whole family safe by taking simple steps to improve the electrical safety in their homes that will help prevent fires and the devastation and upset that they can cause."

Steve Halstead, group manager for Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service Prevention, Protection and Road Safety, said: "We would like to urge animal lovers in Cornwall to follow the simple tips to help prevent fires. Fires caused by the misuse of electrical products are easy to prevent but they will keep increasing unless people understand the simple things that can and do cause them. A house fire can have devastating and long term effects, not only destroying belongings and memories but also putting the lives of your pets and loved ones at risk."