People flock to beaches across the West Country on the hottest day of the year
On what has been the hottest day of the year so far, thousands of visitors packed out west country resorts. Despite the two metre rule remaining in place until 4 July, it didn't deter the crowds heading to the beach.
Temperatures soared to 31 C in some parts of the South West with the highs expected to persist tomorrow. Public Health England has issued advice on how to stay safe during Covid-19.
People are advised to:
Look out for others, especially older people, young children and babies and those with underlying health conditions.
Close curtains on rooms that face the sun to keep indoor spaces cooler.
Drink plenty of fluids and avoid excess alcohol.
Slow down when it is hot: exertion heats up our bodies so plan any strenuous activities (e.g. exercise, gardening) outside the hottest time of the day, typically 11am - 3pm.
Cool your skin with water, you could use a cool wet sponge or flannel, cool water spray, cold packs around the neck and armpits, or a cool, wet sheet.
Listen to the weather forecast: it can help you plan ahead and adapt what you’re doing.
Dress appropriately for the weather: protect yourself against the sun and keep yourself cool by wearing thin cotton clothes.
Eat smaller meals, more often. Cold salads and fruit are the perfect summer foods.
For more information on the common signs of heat exhaustion and heatstroke visit NHS Choices.
People are also being warned not to leave hand sanitiser in cars because it could be a fire risk in the heat.
Weston-super-Mare was packed with visitors today but there were plenty of reminders to respect social distancing rules. Bars and restaurants remain closed and there were long queues for food and drink from the various shops and booths.
On 4 July, Covid-19 restrictions will be eased further and hotels, pubs and the famous Grand Pier will re-open. It's hoped "Super Saturday" will be a chance for resorts like Weston to cancel out some of the losses from the lockdown.
Many families took advantage of the fine weather to give their children a break from homeschooling and head off for some sun, sea and sand.
People on Perranporth beach said it was time for a break. One couple said "The weather's lovely and I think the easing of restrictions is long overdue". While a mum said, "I'm feeling at liberty to say, let's put away the schoolbooks for the day and just come down to the beach and have some fun".
Businesses like the Watering Hole are now gearing up to re-open on 4 July, Its director, Tommy Job says, "Cornwall is a great place and it's a place you want to share with the whole country. But we've got to be wary of the R number going up and things like that because we don't want to be shut down again.
"For us and everyone else we want it to be as busy as possible, as safe as possible at the same time. We'll have security to start with to enforce the rules and to make sure people aren't being too silly because if they haven't been to the pub for three months, we're going to have to do our best to monitor it and look after our customers."
Images from across the West Country on the hottest day of 2020 so far
The mini-heatwave is set to continue into tomorrow, Thursday 25 June, but watch out for thundery showers developing late that night.
Tonight will be warm with sea breezes keeping coasts slightly cooler than inland. It will be dry with mostly clear skies and light winds through the night. Lows of 14 C.
Thursday will start bright with temperatures quickly climbing . Turning cloudier through the afternoon before showers and potentially the odd thunderstorm developing into the evening. Highs of 30 C.
Outlook for Friday to Sunday: Becoming cooler with heavy rain and thunderstorms on Friday night and into Saturday morning. Showery through Saturday afternoon and Sunday with some bright spells.