The number of suspected carbon monoxide (CO) incidents in St Helens has significantly increased.

Cadent, the region's gas emergency service, responded to 380 CO-related jobs in St Helens in 2023/24, reflecting a 73 per cent increase from the previous year.

Only seven other towns or cities in the North West recorded higher numbers than St Helens.

This spike in incidents underscores the need for heightened awareness of CO and the importance of regular checks on fuel-burning appliances, including central heating boilers and log burners.

The statistics were released during Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week.

The potentially deadly gas causes around 40 deaths in England and Wales each year.

The statistics were released during Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week (Image: Supplied) Paula Steer, North West Network Director at Cadent, said: "On the one hand, it is encouraging that people are contacting the gas emergency service if they suspect carbon monoxide.

"It is exactly the right thing to do, to ring 0800 111 999 immediately.

"However, we are also concerned that this is further evidence of another worrying trend.

"We commissioned research this year which told us that almost 30 per cent of people are only getting their boilers serviced every two years, or less often than that.

"This is a big worry – I can’t stress enough just how important it is to get your boiler serviced every year."

To combat the potential threat, Cadent invested £3.6 million in 2023/24 on CO education and awareness campaigns, including award-winning activities for schools.

Their classroom-based programmes reached more than 120,000 children last year.

In partnership with local community centres, fire services, and others, Cadent distributed more than 109,000 free CO alarms in high-risk areas last year.

The company is urging all property owners to have their gas appliances serviced annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

CO is a poisonous gas that can come from anything burning carbon-based fuels, such as gas, oil, wood, or petrol.

It poses a serious threat to health if exposed, with symptoms often mistaken for flu or a hangover.

The service encourages everyone to install CO alarms in rooms with fuel-burning appliances and test them regularly.