News Releases

Safety advisors at Western Power Distribution (WPD), the electricity distribution network operator for the Midlands, South Wales and South West, are urging youngsters to stay safe this Easter by staying away from electricity when playing outside.

With warmer weather making activities like fishing and flying a kite more appealing, we want people, especially youngsters, to remember to ‘Look Up – Look Out’.

WPD’s Community Safety Advisor, Eileen Leadley said: “Electricity can travel down a kite string or fishing rod. It can even jump gaps, so it is very important that everyone stays well clear of overhead lines and substations.

“If something does come into contact with one of our overhead lines or goes into a substation – like a ball, for instance – don’t try to get it back yourself. Call us on 0800 0568090 and one of our engineers will retrieve it safely and you won’t be told off or in trouble.

“Safety is WPD’s number one priority and we work with schools and community groups across the region, including anglers, farmers and builders to make sure people know how to stay safe around our network.

“We also have free, curriculum-linked educational resources on our website to help children learn about staying safe. Visit www.westernpower.co.uk for more details.”                          

Note for newsdesks:

• Western Power Distribution (WPD) is the distribution network operator for the Midlands, South West England and South Wales, and is responsible for delivering electricity to approximately 7.8 million customers in the UK.

• WPD is not an electricity supply company and does not bill customers in the UK. Its responsibility is to distribute electricity from the point of generation to homes and businesses.