PEOPLE who have bought e-bikes and e-scooters as Christmas gifts are being warned of the dangers by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS).

Earlier this month a fire at a home on Luxor View in Harehills, Leeds, turned out to be caused by a lithium battery from an e-bike that had been charging.

The battery was being charged overnight and crews received the call just after 2am. Two men were taken to hospital with smoke inhalation.

Dave Walton, WYFRS' deputy chief fire officer, said: “While these vehicles can provide a great way for people to get around, they also come with a number of risks.

“Lithium is highly flammable and particularly dangerous because of the battery's high energy density. Not only do people need to be careful when charging these batteries but they need to be recycled properly and not disposed of with general household waste.”

Across the country there are a growing number of incidents involving rechargeable household items including e-cigarettes, e-scooters, e-bikes, hover boards, phones, powerpacks, laptops, children’s toys and rechargeable power tools.

All of these incidents have been caused by the lithium battery failing.

For more information, visit www.batteryfiresafety.co.uk.