THE consumer Affairs Minister Nigel Griffiths rightly issues a May Day alert to DIY enthusiasts as summer brings a rush of activity. Ladders and outdoor electrics are an obvious source of danger - but is enough being done to protect the public from unsuspected hazards?

More and more households are finding themselves the target of product recalls - perhaps months after they bought the item and unwittingly started using it. CheckOut has culled a few example over recent weeks:

n An outdoor stove whose fuel might leak and cause a fire.

n Christmas tree lights with a control box giving access to live terminals.

n A water heater that poses

a fire risk without an important modification.

n Television sets from two major manufacturers that may carry mains voltage to aerials and sockets.

n Cuddly hot water bottles with suspect stoppers and potential to scald.

Food products and childrens' clothes and toys are increasingly the subject of recalls and safety warnings, while a drugs manufacturer recently announced, somewhat sotto voce, that tablets could have been contaminated with aspirin and should ''under no circumstances be taken by children or anyone allergic to aspirin''.

Some firms at least include a freephone number for advice, but it surely adds insult to injury when others make concerned consumers pay at premium rates.

Isn't it time the Government asked if perfunctory press announcements are sufficiently high profile, and whether manufacturers should be required to screen TV warnings when consumers may be using dodgy products? And why not a dedicated Ceefax freedom of information site that we could all consult at any time?

For further advice, contact a

Trading Standards Officer at your local council.

WHILE we eagerly await the new crop of Ayrshires to surface, Jerseys make a jolly springtime treat. Already the #2-a-pound that the well-heeled were happy to fork out for, unpeeled perfection has dropped dramatically to under 50p - and could soon be half that. Butter and mint sauce is the traditional accompaniment, but more adventurous Check-Out readers can send off for a free recipe book with tempting variations by John Torode.

Try Jerseys braised in tomatoes, cumin, coriander, and mint; or in a warm salad with rocket salsa and parmesan. Foil-roasted with rosemary butter, they make an ideal barbecue nibble, while Malaysian-style curry imparts an oriental flavour. For your Jersey Royals recipe book, freephone: 0800 7836061.

IF we really are a nation of animal lovers, you'll enjoy your breakfast bacon or supper sirloin all the more knowing that before it died the donor enjoyed five basic freedoms.

They're enshrined in the Farm Assured Scheme being operated by Somerfield, which recognises that animals are entitled to freedom from fear and distress; hunger and thirst; thermal discomfort (not too hot or cold); pain, injury, and disease. They should also be free to ''express normal behaviour''. The scheme means that livestock can be traced back to the farms where they were bred and reared all the way to the supermarket, with regular checks throughout.

Details are in this month's Somerfield magazine, free at stores throughout Scotland.

DON'T get in a lather if you have been unable to find Persil tablets that are set to revolutionise home washing. Check-Out's exclusive revelation of their arrival in Scotland led to a stampede - but we have give-away packs for the first 10 readers whose names are drawn from the hat - and who wish to end the chore of measuring and storing old-fashioned powder. (As we tend to put a third too much in our washing machines, those taking the tablets will have less of a financial headache.) To try your luck, send a postcard, marked ''Persil'', to reach Check-Out, Herald Features, 195 Albion Street, Glasgow G1 1QP by May 15 . . . Microchip your dog or cat for just #12.50 at a council-sponsored Pets Day at Portobello Town Hall, Edinburgh, tomorrow 10am-3.30pm. Pets will be recorded on a national database that reunites them more quickly with owners. Details from 0131 469 5414 . . . Remember the ''Good

Auld Days'' by visiting an exhibition about Scotland's music halls at Glasgow's Mitchell Library until July 25. Free; Monday to Thursday, 9am-8pm; Fridays and Saturdays, 9am-5pm.