Express & Star

Last year, the gas safety watchdog CORGI released alarming data that identified as the Midlands as a carbon monoxide blackspot.

The silent killer gas, which is difficult to identify as it can’t be seen or smelled, was responsible for 50 deaths nationwide and 218 injuries between January 2006 and April 2007.

The report found that consumer ignorance and increasing numbers of illegal gas workers were among the primary reasons for this increase.

Carbon monoxide leaks usually occur when gas appliances such as your boiler haven’t been correctly installed or checked for long periods of time, or when the chimney becomes blocked.

Even the smallest amount of inhallation can cause brain damage or even death.

Scroll through our advice pages on how to spot the early signs of a leak and for details of how to get a FREE carbon monoxide detector with Northern Gas.