Around 1,000 people with certain medical conditions have been able to receive free safety devices from SGN.

The ‘locking cooker valve’ helps vulnerable customers to remain independent in their homes.

The device is fitted to existing gas cooker pipework – when the valve is locked, it locks the gas supply to the cooker.

In this way, it eliminates the risk of the cooker being turned on or left on by accident.

The gas distribution network company which serves around 5.9 million homes and businesses in Scotland, southern England and Northern Ireland said the device is free of charge to people living with dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease and autism.