'Killer heat' warning as hottest day predicted

Weather forecasters were predicting today would be the hottest day recorded in the UK, bringing with it a risk of elderly and vulnerable people dying as a result of the extreme heat.

As well as posing a major risk to health, the soaring heat has led to moorland blazes and warning signs were yesterday put on all open-access land on moorland at Bingley, Addingham, Haworth and Keighley, warning of tinderbox conditions with some land closed at Bingley.

Thousands of acres of moorland in the Yorkshire Dales is also out of bounds with the risk of fire "exceptional" on the Met Office's fire severity index.

Councils across the country are on high alert to prevent any repetition of the experience of France in 2003 when a heatwave caused more than 15,000, mostly elderly people, to die.

A Bradford Council spokesman said it was providing information to staff on how to cope with extreme heat and issuing advice to schools and all those who work with vulnerable adults, such as the elderly and the disabled.

"Schoolchildren should wear protective clothing such as hats and sun cream and at playtime there should be somewhere children can go to be in the shade," said the spokesman.

"Council staff who work outdoors are also being given advice. For example our cleansing workers (street cleaners) wear hats as part of their uniform and have been issued with sun cream and a bottle of water or have plenty of access to cold drinks.

"All those who work with vulnerable adults have been sent a copy of the NHS leaflet Heatwave - a guide to looking after yourself and others during hot weather' and a fact sheet.

"Both the primary care trusts and social services will identify individuals at particular risk and take steps to reduce this risk.

"This involves collaboration with the voluntary sector and independent home sector."

A spokesman for the district's four primary care trusts said: "We have alerted GPs to look out for vulnerable people such as the elderly and the young and those with chronic illnesses and give them general advice on how to cope with the heat.

"This includes making sure they keep up their fluid intake, to stay inside during the height of the sun between 11am and 3pm and take simple measures such as closing their curtains.

"If anyone is outside for any length of time they should make sure they use sun cream."

Dr James Goodwin, of Help the Aged, said: "While older people who are frail, have mobility problems or heart conditions are most at risk from the heat, even healthy older people need to be aware of the risks imposed by this hot weather.

"In addition, the risks are greater for the many older people who live alone, with no one to look out for them day to day.

"We're therefore urging everyone to make sure their older neighbours or relatives are cared for in the hot weather to come."

A heatwave can cause the body to overheat and dehydrate, leading the heart exhaustion or heat stroke.

Symptoms include headaches, nausea, an intense thirst, sleepiness, hot read and dry skin, a sudden rise in temperature, confusion, aggression, convulsions and a loss of consciousness.

Contact your doctor, a pharmacist or NHS Direct on 0845 4647 if you have unusual symptoms. If you suspect someone has heatstroke call 999.

e-mail: claire.lomax@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

STAY COOL: IT'S HOTTER THAN IBIZA

• Avoid going out in the hottest part of the day and if you do go out, stay in the shade and take a bottle of water, especially if travelling in a car or on a bus.

• Close curtains in rooms with a lot of sun and keep windows open.

• Splash yourself several times a day with cold water, especially your face and the back of the neck.

• Drink lots of water and fruit juice and avoid alcohol.

The best that Ibiza could manage was 32.1C, while the warmest place in the Canaries this week was Lanzarote airport at 29.1C and Nice reached 29.9C.