A flame arrester (10), the flame arrester (10) having a housing (2) in which there is provided a flame arrester element (3) and into which extends a conduit (1), a portion of the conduit being at least partially surrounded by the flame arrester element (3) and wherein the conduit (1) has a principal flow axis extending along the conduit for flow of gas into or out of the flame arrester (10) and the flame arrester element (3) has a principal flow axis for flow of gas out of or in to the flame arrester (10), the principal flow axis along said portion and the principal flow axis through the flame arrester element (3) extending in opposite directions and wherein the conduit (1) has a cross sectional area A and, at a working surface, the flame arrester element (3) has a cross sectional area of A or above.
