We currently live in a DIY culture, with many homeowners being encouraged by television shows and financial circumstance to “have a go” at home maintenance and repairs rather than paying for a professional.

A study by the Electrical Safety Council (ESC) has found that half of all serious electric shocks in the UK are caused by DIY mishaps.

The study reveals that many people are taking on what they consider to be simple DIY jobs, instead of calling in someone qualified. Not only do such DIYers risk their lives by doing so, but many will eventually need to call out an electrician to repair their errors. 82% of the 2,000 electricians questioned claimed that dodgy DIY results in more extensive work and therefore higher costs in the long run.

Potentially fatal gaffes included cutting through power leads, drilling into the electrical wiring in walls and attempting to repair electrical items without first switching them off.

Many of the people surveyed stated that they would consider online video tutorials to be adequate training, while half of the men surveyed said that they felt that DIY was their responsibility.