A warning has been issued about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries as fires caused by them continue to rise.

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service sent out the reminder to use the batteries safely and to only buy them from the recommended manufacturer.

A post on Facebook said: "When you charge anything with a lithium-ion battery - from mobile phones and laptops to e-bikes and hoverboards, please make sure you do it safely.

"Use the charger supplied with the device or a replacement recommended by the manufacturer."

The risk of lithium-ion battery fires is much greater if users fail to purchase the correct charger from a reputable seller and once ablaze, the fires can be extremely difficult to extinguish. 

A family in Norwich was left homeless in August after their home was destroyed in a fire caused by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery which had been bought online to charge a small boat.

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Firefighters tackled the blaze for several hours but the house suffered significant fire and water damage rendering it uninhabitable. 

Last year, Norfolk County Council’s Trading Standards issued a similar warning about the dangers of non-manufacturer-approved replacement batteries and chargers, following house fires in Watton and Swaffham.

Ken Mould's house in Swaffham burnt down after he and his wife went into town, leaving a cordless vacuum cleaner charging. 

The aftermath of the house fire in SwaffhamThe aftermath of the house fire in Swaffham (Image: Ken Mould) The couple had bought the battery on Amazon to save money rather than purchasing the official Dyson one. 

This week, in an effort to tackle such issues, eBay announced plans to restrict the sale of e-bikes and e-bike batteries on its platform from October 31.

Only “eligible business sellers” will be allowed to sell the products after this date.

Recent data released by insurer Aviva showed a 7pc increase in customer claims for fires started by lithium-ion batteries. 

Additional research suggested that one in nine Britons has suffered a fire or explosion in their home due to a lithium-ion battery or device.