A couple have warned of the dangers of cheap replacement chargers for Apple iPads and iPhones.

Christie Regan, 27, had a lucky escape after he plugged in his iPad Mini and suffered an electric shock which blew all the fuses in the house.

Student Christie was left reeling and suffered numbness in his hands and arms.

Christie and partner Kelly Porteous, 35, spoke out to warn other families of the dangers.

Mum-of-two Kelly, of Dalton, often lets daughters Jasmine, 12, and Aaliyah, five, use the iPad and said: “I dread to think what could have happened.”

Kelly, who has fibromyalgia, a crippling and painful disorder with multiple symptoms, added: “Christie was fine apart from the pins and needles.

“If it was me or one of the children it could have been a lot worse.”

Kelly told how the wire on the original charger lead had cracked and split and she needed a new one.

Instead of spending £15 on a genuine Apple product she went to a phone shop and bought a cheaper one for £10.

One night Christie plugged the iPad in to charge it and it blew, plunging the house into darkness.

“It was like a bolt of lightning,” said Kelly. “We were both terrified.”

Kelly tried to get her money back but the trader refused to help. Instead she bought a new Apple charger for £15.

“I wish I’d done that in the first place,” said Kelly. “Everyone is skint at the moment and wants to save money but you have to think of your health and safety.

“I couldn’t wait and wanted the new charger but I wish I’d bought the genuine product.”

Fortunately the iPad was undamaged.

Kelly has since looked round for other chargers and has found them on sale for as little as £1.

“It’s just not worth the risk,” she said. “I just don’t want others to make the same mistake.”

Nationally there have been reported incidents of iPad and phone chargers “exploding.”

Last month Tim Gillooley, of Warrington, claimed his genuine iPad charger exploded as he unplugged it.

He was thrown across the room in front of his eight-year-old daughter Chloe.