It’s not easy being the ‘safety police’ when everyone just wants to have fun - especially when that fun includes extravagant costumes.

Children should always be kept away from naked flames, but Halloween costumes come with their own set of risks for which extra safety precautions are needed.

They’re not always subject to the same fire safety checks as normal clothing as they can often be classed as toys. With Halloween being a time where lots of lit candles in pumpkins are on the same doorsteps that trick-or-treaters congregate on. As you rightly point out there have sadly been accidents associated with dressing-up outfits and so checking the garment complies with UK/EU safety standards should be a top priority.

No one wants an unexpected horror story at Halloween so it’s always best to know what you’re looking for when buying any costume to make sure the risks are limited as much as they can be:

● Always buy your Halloween costumes from reputable shops and online retailers. If you haven’t bought anything from the shop before make sure you check online reviews.

● Make sure the costume comes with safety instructions, a UKCA or CE marking and the manufacturer’s name. The UKCA marking is the post-Brexit British equivalent of the CE mark which is also still valid.

● Check for any product recalls online – searching for ‘product safety recalls’ will bring up the Office for Product Safety and Standards list.

Finally homemade fancy dress costumes may come with risks