A MAJOR campaign to highlight a deadly killer is being stepped up this month.

And groups in Huddersfield are being encouraged to join the national carbon monoxide awareness programme.

The deadline has been extended to the end of January 2012 to allow more organisations to register.

Organisations that have regular and direct contact with key risk groups – particularly families with young children and older people – are being sought to help deliver the programme.

Priority will be given to organisations in areas where there has been a higher incidence of carbon monoxide poisoning and, sadly, Yorkshire is among them.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and Gas Safe Charity will be launching the Be Gas Safe programme in a bid to raise awareness of the ‘silent killer’ and the steps that can be taken to prevent CO poisoning.

The programme will see 10,000 families in England receiving a free CO detector and many more receiving safety information.

In Huddersfield, the Huddersfield Youth Opera and The Dominic Rodgers Trust have joined forces to raise awareness.

They kicked off their campaign at a Huddersfield Town game last month and are also planning further events to highlight the need for carbon monoxide detectors in every home.

The Trust’s Stacey Rodgers spoke to a crowd of about 15,000 at the Chesterfield game on Boxing Day to raise awareness of CO poisoning.

The event was made possible through the support of four CO alarm manufacturers – Kidde, Ei Electronics, Honeywell and Sprue/FireAngel – and their trade association CoGDEM, the Council of Gas Detection and Environmental Monitoring.

Miss Rodgers formed the Trust after the death of her son Dominic in 2004.

He was overcome by fumes from a faulty boiler and since then his mother has campaigned tirelessly in Huddersfield and nationally to raise awareness of CO poisoning.

Interested organisations can get a briefing session on gas safety issues, receive I’m Staying Gas Safe leaflets and RoSPA will also outline the Be Gas Safe programme.

Up to 100 CO detectors will also be issued for distribution to vulnerable clients.

Ashley Martin, RoSPA’s health coordinator and BE Gas Safe programme manager said: "All the resources for the Be Gas Safe programme are available to local organisations free of charge".

More information and an application form are available on www.carbonmonoxidesafety.org.uk or email info@carbonmonoxidesafety.org.uk