CAMPERS WARNED ABOUT OVERHEAD POWER LINE DANGERS

Campers using temporary pop-up campsites have been warned about the dangers of overhead power lines.

With record numbers of people opting to holiday in the UK, there has been a huge rise in temporary campsites emerging to meet increased demand.

Commercial pop-up campsites are now allowed to open for 56 days without needing planning permission.

Now UK Power Networks, which distributes electricity to 8.3 million customers across London, the southeast and east of England, has issued campers using these sites with a safety warning.

The company urged anyone staying on temporary sites to ‘Look Out and Look Up’ to make sure they are not setting up camp near any overhead power lines.

Power line safety advice:

● If possible, avoid pitching tents directly under or close to an overhead power line

● Electricity can jump across gaps so always carry metal and carbon fibre tent poles, TV aerials and other long objects horizontally and parallel with the ground

● Never attach or tie anything to electricity poles, pylons or electrical equipment

● Never light a fire under an overhead line, as the heat could cause the wires to sag or break

Debbie Chachulski, a safety advisor at UK Power Networks, said: “Temporary campsites will enable many of us to have a fantastic holiday this year, but you could have the potentially worrying combination of people visiting who may not have camped much before, staying at pop-up venues who are new to hosting so our message is to take care.”