Gardeners 'must be careful with their equipment'

16:55 1st July 2011

Gardeners and greenhouse enthusiasts need to look after the electrical appliances they keep in their sheds, as not doing so can be dangerous, an expert has said.

Cherry Read, head of communications and campaigns at the Electrical Safety Council, said there are 2.5 million electric shocks caused by mains voltage, whether people are working with garden equipment or doing DIY in their home.

Almost a quarter of these are caused by using a faulty appliance and the biggest contributory factor is wear and tear.

Items stored in the shed are particularly at risk, she stated, as leaks can cause water damage.

Ms Read went on to recommend that gardeners conduct a simple test when working with equipment stored in the shed.

"Before you take your garden equipment out for the first time, just check that you don't have frayed leads, water damage or anything that looks dodgy. If it looks dodgy, it probably is dodgy," she explained.

Her comments come on the eve of National Shed Week, which starts on July 4th.