Shropshire holiday home owners are being warned not to forget about their properties during freezing winter temperatures.

Dave Williams, of Henshalls Insurance Brokers in Newport and Shrewsbury, said last year's winter was tough with burst pipes causing extensive damage to many holiday homes.

"Figures show that there was a huge rise in burst pipe claims in January this year - in fact, around 69 per cent up on the previous year.

"Many policyholders left the heating on low while the property was unoccupied to comply with their policy, but the minimum suggested temperature of 10 degrees was just not enough to beat the freeze.

"Damage was more common if the pipes were not lagged, or if the roof and windows were in a poor condition.

"And it wasn't just holiday homes that were badly affected by the extreme weather - people who were away for Christmas often returned home to find their main property was damaged too."

Dave said the average burst pipe claim was estimated at £15,000, but many were far more expensive.

"It's not just about the money either, it's the mess, the upset, and the loss of treasured possessions that causes all the stress and emotional trauma.

"With temperatures predicted to be low again this winter, insurers are already bracing themselves for another year of claims, so it's important to prepare in advance."

Dave said holiday home owners should check for high water damage excesses on their policies, and that they included unrestricted cover for burst pipes.

"You should also check how often your policy expects your holiday home to be inspected and whether you need to drain the entire system.

"Make sure you check the terms of your policy now to ensure you'll be covered when you really need help - the last thing you want to be doing is spending your valuable free time cleaning up your flooded holiday home."