Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service carried out a Christmas safety awareness session in Dursley this morning.

Firefighters from Dursley Community Fire and Rescue Station were on hand in Parsonage Street from 10am to 12pm to provide some valuable advice to locals.

Bill Purton, 3, pictured, was one of the youngsters enjoying the fire service's visit this morning.

Some top tips provided by the fire service for staying safe this Christmas are:

Never leave cooking unattended and avoid cooking and consuming alcohol. The majority of fires start in the kitchen so this is a high risk area. Always turn off kitchen appliances when you have finished cooking.

If you smoke - make sure cigarettes are completely extinguished before you go to bed.

Never leave candles unattended.

Never place candles near your Christmas tree or furnishings.

Keep decorations, cards and wrapping paper away from candles, fires, lights and heaters, also avoid using angel hair (glass wool) together with spray on snowflakes. This combination is highly combustible.

If you are planning to celebrate with fireworks - store them in a metal box, read the instructions, never return to a lit firework and keep a bucket of water near by.

Take the time to check on elderly relatives and neighbours this Christmas - make sure they are fire safe.

Check the battery in your smoke alarm - remember to test it and clean it.