North Wales Fire and Rescue Service's 'We don't want to come dine with you - Think Safe, Cook Safe!' campaign is today returning to Wrexham to help drive down the number of cooking related fires in the area and educate local residents about the importance of cooking safely.

Cooking is a major cause of accidental fires in the home in North Wales -  and this campaign highlights the dangers of getting distracted whilst you are preparing food and the risks involved with leaving your cooking unattended.

Forgetting to turn off the hob, leaving food in the microwave for too long, overheating a chip pan, burning the toast, leaving the oven on - all of these can spell disaster in the kitchen and can lead to serious injury or, even more worryingly, the loss of life.

That's why firefighters will be out and about over the next few months, talking to shoppers in Wrexham about how to stay safe in the kitchen, providing free kitchen timers to encourage people to think safe when you are cooking and to remember to time your cooking correctly. Staff from the Service launched the campaign in Wrexham in 2012 and received an excellent response from residents in the region.

People can also put their safety knowledge to the test by trying out our cooking safely quiz with £100 worth of supermarket vouchers for the lucky winner.

An online cooking quiz publicised through beermats and posters distributed to pubs and bingo halls throughout Wrexham will also help those who can't make it to the supermarket visits to learn about safety in the kitchen and be in with the chance of winning our competition.

Chris Nott, Community Safety Manager for Wrexham and Flintshire, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: "It is our responsibility to do everything we can to highlight that cooking causes a high number of house fires and to try to drive our messages home - but when it comes to changing behaviour to keep safe, we can only advise and then it is up to you, the individual, to make sure you heed our advice.

"Time and time again we attend house fires which have started in the kitchen - it is so easy to forget your cooking, especially if you are tired, distracted or have been drinking. But the consequences can be devastating. We don't want to come dine with you and tackle your kitchen fire!

"So please take notice of our campaign, come along to see us at a supermarket near you - we'll provide you with a useful kitchen timer and the chance to win £100 in supermarket vouchers. If you can't make it, take part in our online quiz at www.facebook.com/Northwalesfireservice.

"And don't forget - smoke alarms save lives. For a free home fire safety check call our 24 hour freephone number on 0800 169 1234.

Here are Chris's top tips for safety in the kitchen:

• If you leave the room take the cooking off the heat
• Don't use matches or lighters to light gas cookers. Spark devices are safer
• Always make sure that any handles are turned away from the edge of the cooker
• Keep the over, hob and grill clean - a build up fat and grease can easily catch fire
• Never hang anything to dry above the cooker
• Take care if you are wearing loose clothing as it can easily catch fire
• When you've finished cooking make sure everything is turned off
• Turn off electrical appliances when they are not being used
• Never use a chip pan - use a thermostatically controlled deep far fryer
• Get fitted with smoke alarms - they are free of charge and could save your life.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service staff will be visiting the following locations on the dates below:

Friday 14th March - Asda Wrexham
Friday 21st March - Morrissons Wrexham
Friday 4th April - Asda Wrexham
Friday 25th April - Tesco Wrexham
Friday 9th May - Asda Wrexham
Friday 16th May - Morrisons Wrexham

To take part in the online quiz, visit www.facebook.com/Northwalesfireservice. To find out more about the campaign, search #wedontwanttocomedinewithyou on Twitter.