It's not just Santa who will be working on Christmas Eve.  Staff at National Grid will continue to work around the clock to keep the fairy lights twinkling, the turkeys cooking and gas supplies safe over the festive period.

In a 24/7 operation dedicated to ensuring gas safety, engineers will be on hand night and day to tackle potentially dangerous gas escapes. With 10 million turkeys heading for the oven this Christmas and Britain's central heating thermostats set to 'high', safety-conscious staff at National Grid's Midlands call centres are urging people to be extra alert to potential gas escapes over the holidays.

Employees at the centres in Hinckley in Leicestershire and Northampton staff the phone lines of the 24-hour National Gas Emergency Service. They will be handling over 100,000 calls during the Christmas period.  So far this winter, the day with the highest number of calls - 15,676, was on Monday 29 November.  Their message to anyone who suspects a gas escape is clear:

'Be good this Christmas - if you smell gas call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.'

The centres advise callers reporting gas escapes and despatch engineers, who will arrive at the scene within the hour. National Grid staff, advise anyone who smells gas to take the following safety steps:

• Call the National Gas Emergency 0800 111 999
• Do not smoke or light matches
• Do not turn electrical switches on or off
• Open doors and windows
• Turn off the meter at the control valve unless the meter is in the cellar

Meanwhile, Britain's households can dream of a bright Christmas thanks to the efforts of National Grid's Electricity National Control Centre. Staff at the Berkshire facility will continue to manage Britain's appetite for power on a second-by-second basis, ensuring millions of Christmas lights continue to twinkle and television viewers enjoy the season's favourite programmes.

ENDS

For further media information only, please contact the National Grid Media Relations team as follows:
East Anglia and North West: Sara Wilcox on 01926 655271
East Midlands: Carol Lloyd on 01926 655372
London: Antony Quarrell on 07810 853075
West Midlands: Jane Taylor on 07785 220647

Notes to Editors:

National Grid

National Grid is a leading international energy infrastructure business - the largest utility in the UK.

Through National Grid Gas plc it owns and operates over 7,300 kilometres of high-pressure transmission pipeline across Great Britain, and 132,000 kilometres of lower-pressure distribution gas mains in the North West, the Midlands, East Anglia and North London – more than half of Britain's gas transportation network, delivering gas to around 11 million homes, offices and factories.

Through National Grid Electricity Transmission plc, the company operates the high-voltage electricity transmission network across Great Britain, and owns the network in England and Wales.

National Grid manages the National Gas Emergency Service freephone line 0800 111 999*.

*All calls are recorded and may be monitored.

Top tips for dealing with a festive emergency:

If you think you can smell gas inside or outside your home this Christmas:

• Immediately extinguish any cigarettes or candles
• Do NOT light a match or oven lighter
• DO NOT turn electrical switches on or off
• Immediately turn off the gas appliance and the gas supply at the meter.
• Open all windows to ventilate the property and let any excess fumes escape
• If you are unsure about how to do this you can call the National Gas Emergency Service – 0800 111 999, who will send someone out to you as well as giving you step-by-step advice on switching the gas off at the mains.

2010-11 Christmas and New Year period: forecast calls to the National Gas Emergency Service freephone number and forecast number of these calls which are likely to require emergency call-outs

NB: These statistics cover the whole of the UK

Emergency jobs actually carried out by National Grid’s National Gas Emergency Service engineers over the equivalent period 12 months ago (21/12/2509 to 04/01/2010)

NB: The statistics below cover the areas of the UK where National Grid owns and operates the gas transportation network, delivering gas to around 11 million homes, offices and factories.

TOTAL SUM (all regions): 23765