South Yorkshire bargain hunters hoping to pick up a new year deal should avoid buying fire extinguishers at car boot sales, safety officers have warned.

Fire extinguishers are becoming an increasingly popular way for home owners to protect their properties from fire.

But experts at South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue say it’s important to only buy extinguishers from reputable retailers and to never purchase them second hand.

Technical Support Manager Terry Guthrie, said: “You should never purchase fire extinguishers from car boot sales or pop up market stalls, where you are not provided with any guarantee or warranty, or even if the extinguisher will actually operate.

“This is a purchase that may lead to you losing your home or business when the extinguishers fails to operate in an emergency.

“A further point to note is that any green coloured fire extinguishers seen for sale will normally contain Halon gas. This type of extinguisher has been withdrawn from sale since 2003 due to the gas it contains being banned because of its ozone depleting properties, they should therefore not be on sale or bought for private or business  use. “