A dad suffered minor burns to his hands after his child's hoverboard batteries exploded and the self-propelled scooter caught fire in a bedroom.

The quick-thinking father picked up the hoverboard and carried it outside his home in Hambledon Crescent, Cottesmore.

Two fire crews - from Oakham and Uppingham attended the incident on Wednesday (8 Jan) evening - along with the tactical response vehicle from Oakham Fire Station.

The hoverboard was completely destroyed in the blaze.

Following the incident, Oakham firefighter Matt Basey is now urging hoverboard owners to take extra care.

He told Oakham Nub News: "When we returned to the station I did some investigation into the charger and hoverboard, in case there was a fault.

"I contacted the hoverboard manufacturer and asked them to confirm the power of their chargers.

"We checked the power of the charger that was being used and realised it was far greater than it should be for that particular hoverboard.

"The charger had been purchased as a replacement - it was the first time it had been used - and it's very easy to buy the wrong one.

"The sales site listed it as compatible with most hoverboards. Unfortunately, on this occasion using the wrong charger resulted in the batteries exploding and then catching fire.

"The dad managed to carry the unit outside causing himself a few small burns.

"If no one had been at home, or if had been left on charge overnight, then we believe the incident could have been a lot worse."

Hoverboard safety advice:

• Never leave it charging unattended
• Do not charge it when you go to bed
• Never leave it on charge for extended periods as the charging cut-off device can fail, causing the battery to overheat
• Follow the manufacturer's guidelines on charging and never charge it near soft furnishings or other combustibles
• Only use the charger supplied - connections of other chargers may seem similar, or even identical, but the power rating may be different, which can cause a fire
• If possible, charge it in a garage or on a concrete floor
• If the battery is damaged in any way dispose of it immediately
• If you suspect you have a sub-standard or faulty hoverboard, stop using it immediately and report the fault to the manufacturer or retailer