HEATWAVE ALERT: Multiple health warnings issued as Derbyshire boils

A swathe of roasting air from northern France and Spain will begin to grip the county during Tuesday – forcing temperatures to rocket.

On Wednesday, the mercury is set to hit nearly 30C in parts of Derbyshire, making it the hottest day of the year so far.

Overnight temperatures during the coming week will be in the mid to high teens – so sleeping will be extremely difficult.

Councillor Dave Allen, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for health and communities, said: “While many people enjoy the hot weather high temperatures can be dangerous, especially for residents who may be particularly vulnerable such as older people, young children and those with serious illnesses.

“During hot spells vulnerable groups feel the acute effects of heat more than others and it’s long been recognised that death rates among older people rise in the early stages of heatwaves.”

The county council’s public health team advises:

• staying out of direct sun and especially between 11am and 3pm

• drinking plenty of water and non-alcoholic drinks

• keeping bedrooms and living spaces cool by closing curtains on windows that face the sun and opening windows at cooler times of the day or overnight if safe to do so without posing a home security risk

• turning off non-essential lights and electrical items as these can generate heat

• wearing UV sunglasses to reduce UV exposure to the eyes, applying sunscreen of at least SPF15 with UVA protection and wearing a hat

• wearing light loose-fitting cotton clothes to minimise the risk of sunburn

• looking out for others especially vulnerable groups such as older people, young children and babies and those with serious illnesses

• not leaving anyone in a closed, parked vehicle, especially babies, young children or animals

Meanwhile, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service (DFRS) is urging residents to stay away from open water in the heatwave.

Paul Hawker, DFRS group manager, said: “When the sun is shining it is so tempting to cool off in rivers, canals and reservoirs, especially when being egged on by your friends.

“So often we hear of tragedies where people have lost their lives swimming in reservoirs and other outdoor waterways. Cold water shock happens so quickly, even the strongest swimmers can get into trouble in a matter of minutes.

“If you do want to go for a dip during the hot weather, I would urge people to use their local swimming pool, where a lifeguard is on duty, and not risk their lives in unknown and unsupervised water.”

Laura Paterson, deputy chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “The very warm air means there is a risk of us seeing thunderstorms on Wednesday or Thursday but the exact timing and location of those storms, if they happen, is uncertain at the moment.

“Temperatures are expected to dip slightly on Thursday, before rising again from the south later Friday and Saturday. This could again result in thunderstorms breaking out, mainly in central and southeastern parts of Britain, though isolated storms can’t be ruled out elsewhere.

“It looks like warm and humid spells of weather could continue into next week.”