A WARNING has been issued to Keighley-district anglers as part of a safety campaign.

Northern Powergrid has teamed up with the Angling Trust to highlight the dangers of overhead power lines, cables and poles.

Anglers are being urged to plan ahead and 'look up' when choosing a spot to fish.

Every year, there are cases of people suffering serious burns or fatal injuries due to fishing equipment coming into contact with – or getting too close to – overhead lines, which carry up to 132,000 volts.

Gareth Pearson, director of health, safety and training at Northern Powergrid, says: "High-voltage currents can pass through almost all fishing rods and poles, therefore it’s vital that anglers 'look up before they hook up'. And remember, you don’t need to make contact with power lines to receive an electric shock – electricity can jump gaps."

Mark Owen, for the Angling Trust, says: "We're delighted to partner with Northern Powergrid to spread the safety message.

"Carbon-fibre products conduct electricity, so always carry long objects such as fishing rods and poles horizontal and parallel to the ground and be aware of any power lines in the area."

Free angling safety leaflets can be downloaded from northernpowergrid.com/safety