ESSEX Fire and Rescue Service is urging people to take extra care this Halloween.

Every year adults and children are injured in accidents where candles or fireworks set light to hair or fancy dress costumes.

Homes are often involved in fires caused by candles that have been carelessly placed near plastic decorations.

In the last few years the dangers posed by children’s fancy dress costumes, which can easily and quickly catch fire, have been highlighted by a number of incidents.

There is no legal requirement for children's fancy dress costumes to be fire proofed or fire retardant, because they are classified as toys, rather than clothes.

Head of community safety Neil Fenwick said: "Every year on Halloween many adults and children are injured in accidents where lighted candles or fireworks have come into contact with costumes.

"These costumes can be extremely flammable, especially if they involve plastic bin liners, so it is important to take extra care with naked flames.

"Pumpkin lanterns can also be dangerous. It is important to make sure that candles in them are properly secured and that the lanterns are fully extinguished when no one is in the room.

"Our best advice is use candle effect LED lights, they are a far safer alternative to naked flames."