A SHOCK survey today by safety campaigners revealed only one in three homes in Yorkshire has a carbon monoxide alarm.

And that is worrying news for a Huddersfield woman who has spent the past six years campaigning against the silent killer.

Stacey Rodgers, who lost her son Dominic to carbon monoxide, said: “It amazes me that so many people still do not have alarms in their homes.

“Even people who know me and have met me have still not realised it can save their lives.

“We are meeting Government officials and MPs this week at Westminster to highlight the need to make alarms essential for every home.”

The new research released today by the Carbon Monoxide – Be Alarmed! campaign reveals that one and half million people in the region are at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning because they are not protected by an alarm.

Only 38% of homes currently have one.

The research has also found that one in five people (21%) in the region are unaware that carbon monoxide can kill and only 13% realise that it can cause brain damage.

The survey findings come only days after an inquest which ruled that Huddersfield woman Hazel Woodhams died of carbon monoxide poisoning while on holiday in Norfolk. The Slaithwaite woman and her partner were camping when they were overcome by fumes from a barbecue.

Her partner, 40-year-old Roland Wessling, suffered severe injuries and spent more than three weeks in the James Paget Hospital at Gorleston near Great Yarmouth in Norfolk.

His injuries nearly resulted in him losing an arm due to the poisoning, which also damaged his kidneys

Miss Rodgers’ son died when fumes from a faulty gas boiler in a neighbour’s home seeped into their Fartown home in February 2004.

She said: “Alarms are very inexpensive but so vital.

“We sadly hear of cases every week, and there seems to have been a tragic trend of people dying from fumes from barbecues. We hope to work with the authorities to look at camping safety as well as safety in homes”.

Across the UK, at least 50 people died last year after being poisoned by carbon monoxide and 4,000 were treated in hospital.

Many more victims go unrecognised because the early symptoms can easily be mistaken for tiredness, flu, food poisoning or even a hangover.

Christine McGourty, of the safety campaign, said: “We are urging people to go out and buy an alarm now – but there are also two simple steps we’d like the UK governments to take.

“Firstly, building regulations should be amended so that new homes come with alarms already installed. Secondly, providing an alarm should be part of a landlord’s annual gas safety inspection.”

Carbon monoxide alarms are available from many DIY stores, supermarkets, high street shops or directly from energy suppliers. They can cost as little as £15 and many retailers will be offering special discounts in support of the campaign.