The firm launched a full recall involving 500,000 dryers in July after an order by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS). But the company says only 65,000 owners have so far come forward.

As a result it’s issued an appeal for owners of faulty machines that have not yet been replaced or modified to come forward “as a matter of urgency”. Customers can choose to have their machine either replaced or modified.

The recall follows the discovery of a fault in the machines that allows fluff from clothes to reach heating elements.

Jeff Noel, Whirlpool vice president, said: “Nothing matters more to us than people’s safety, so it’s absolutely vital that we can identify where these affected dryers are and resolve the issue.

“We can assure consumers that we are doing everything we can, and that we can quickly provide a remedy as soon as they get in touch.”

The issue relates to more than 600 models of vented and condenser tumble dryers made by Hotpoint, Indesit, Creda, Swan and Proline (all part of the Whirlpool brand) between 2004 and 2015.

The machines have been blamed for at least 750 fires over an 11-year period.

Caroline Normand, Which? director of advocacy said: “The progress now being made with getting Whirlpool’s fire-risk dryers out of people’s homes shows why the government should have ordered a full recall when this fault was first discovered – as strong action then could have prevented dozens of potentially lethal fires.

“The government must continue to closely monitor the progress of Whirlpool’s recall as thousands of people remain at risk while these faulty machines are in their homes.

“The government’s product safety regulator must urgently investigate whether Whirlpool’s modification for these fire-risk dryers is safe. If there is any doubt, the business secretary must step in and ensure that all potentially dangerous machines are removed from people’s homes.”

What to do if you have an affected machine

• Unplug the tumble dryer immediately and don’t use it.
• Check if it’s a model with a known fault by visiting the Hotpoint website.
• If your machine is affected, contact the Whirlpool helpline on 0800 151 0905.