Fewer electric blankets in North Norfolk are failing essential safety checks.

The results have been found in an annual testing roadshow carried out by Norfolk County Council's Trading Standards team.

In Cromer, 88 blankets were tested in October last year, with 34 failing, which was a failure rate of 39pc compared to 59pc in 2009.

Overall trading standards officers detected 148 faulty blankets out of the 388 blankets tested in their safety testing roadshows, that stopped off at five towns.

Ann Steward, cabinet member for sustainable development at Norfolk County Council, with responsibility for trading standards, said: 'I am very pleased to see that we have real tangible evidence that people are listening to our lifesaving advice, and as such we are helping to make safer the lives of people in Norfolk.'