In the present climate many people are feeling the pinch and looking at ways of cutting back and saving money.

And this has seen many families take a step back in time with many now choosing to light a fire in an effort to cut down on cost. With oil prices still high, as we can see from our graphic on this page, and the price of gas and electric soaring by as much as 30% in recent times an old fashioned home fire is what many people are switching too.

The hardship of cleaning it out and the trouble of actually putting one on are small negatives that people are prepared to take as they cut back and tighten their belts.

Chimney sweeps have reported an increase in people looking to have their chimney floo's cleaned out as autumn bites and winter draws ever closer.