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Gas supplier Firmus Energy is cutting prices by almost 9% from October.

The company is the second biggest supplier in Northern Ireland with about 95,000 customers.

The price cut reflects a significant fall in wholesale gas prices in Europe over the past year and means a typical household bill for customers in greater Belfast will fall by £54 a year.

Customers in the "Ten Towns" network outside Belfast will see the typical bill fall by £61 per year.

Michael Scott, managing director of Firmus Energy, said: "We are pleased to announce a reduction in natural gas bills for our customers, particularly as we come into the winter months.

"The steady drop in wholesale gas commodity costs over the last year has allowed Firmus Energy to pass these savings onto our customers".

Last March, the company said it was putting up prices for its Northern Ireland customers.

The Utility Regulator's chief executive, Jenny Pyper, described Firmus Energy's reduction in tariffs in the Ten Towns area as "great news for their customers".

She said: "There are a variety of reasons for this decrease, including a significant increase in customers connecting to gas in the Ten Towns area which represents a growth in demand, and a fall in the cost of wholesale gas purchased by firmus energy."