Dover’s firefighters will be welcoming families into the Ladywell station today to give tips on how to stay safe this Christmas.

The invitation is open to all on Wednesday, December 16 from 3.30pm to 5pm.

Visitors will be able to enjoy a cup of tea and take away some tips on how to stay safe over the festive period.

Youngsters will also have the chance to see Father Christmas’ sleigh and climb aboard a fire engine.

Equipment used to put fires out will also be on show.

Watch Manager Mark McDonald said: “We look forward to welcoming people into the station and spreading a little Christmas cheer, while sharing some essential tips to help people stay safe and well this Christmas.

“We want to make sure Christmas is memorable for all the right reasons, so we’ll be asking people to take extra care to ensure that their families and loved ones are protected from fire.”

Some of simple advice asks that each household has working smoke alarms and that burning candles are never left unattended.

It also warns that sockets should not be overloaded and that electrical items should be switched off when they are not in use unless they are designed to be left on.

Kent Fire and Rescue do free home safety visits.

For more information, call: 0800 923 7000 or email: details to home@kent.fire.uk.org