One of the thrills of Christmas used to be getting a wind-up toy and seeing it spin across the room: although it ran out of power very quickly, it was always a thrill for a young child to see it go.

Then along came batteries and the toy went further and for longer. The worst thing was getting a present when batteries weren’t included - mega disappointment.

Now, some batteries have taken on a new title - lithium. While they’re more powerful and longer lasting, they also come with warnings; the trick is knowing your product, safe storage and maintenance.

So, for quality and reliability, lithium batteries seem to be the answer, although they are a talking point, mainly because of the ubiquitous e-scooters and bikes.

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Indeed, The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) have issued an urgent warning to the public to be vigilant after an increase in electric vehicle fires.

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“According to figures obtained by........

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