A far-reaching smoke alarm campaign in the Nottingham Evening Post has helped cut the number of people dying in fires.

The continuing campaign has been run together with fire sevrice to install smoke detectors in homes in Nottinghamshire since 1999.

Initially, the post gave out smoke detectors when people wrote to the newsdesk to request one.

An extra initiative from the fire service itself means that after tackling house fires, officers will install a smoke detector to help prevent any subsequent tragedy.

The Post is encouraging companies around the county to send cheques to Nottinghamshire Fire Service to fund the purchase of smoke detectors.

Around 10,000 homes received them up to now.

The number of fatal fires has fallen from the 18 in 1997 to three so far this year.

The Post is also helping send out a strong message that smoke alarms could save lives.

Fire investigator Pat Cathcart said: "It has made a big difference. People still have fires but the fatal fire and the amount of damage done has dropped."

Dr Nigel Chapman, the Nottinghamshire coroner, said: "The campaign by the Evening Post and the fire service has had a tremendous effect."

And Roger Vincent, spokesman for Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said: "This is extremely good news indeed. Deaths from fire are the most common cause of death at home.

"They are usually unnecessary. It has been shown that if you have a working fitted smoke alarm, you have a much greater chance of survival."