UK bakes on year’s hottest weekend

Children have been treated in hospital for extreme sunburn as Britain experienced the hottest weekend of the year. Temperatures reached 31.6C at Heathrow and 30.2C in Cardiff yesterday, making it the hottest day of the year, as an area of high pressure over the UK maintained warm conditions.

Three children with sunburn to what were described as “fairly large areas of their bodies” were admitted to the Welsh centre for burns and plastic surgery at Swansea’s Morriston hospital over the course of Friday and Saturday.

“Our burns centre has been treating a lot of children with serious sunburn and staff fear a further surge in cases in the coming days,” the Swansea Bay University health board said in a statement.“Please remember to be sun safe. Just a few minutes applying a high-factor sun screen could save you and your child a lot of pain and suffering.”

Northern Ireland recorded its hottest day on Saturday.

The townland of Ballywatticock at Strangford Lough set a record with a temperature of 31.2C; the previous record of 30.8C was reached in 1976 and 1983.

In England, a temperature of 30.7C was recorded at Lintonon-Ouse in North Yorkshire on Saturday.

Public health authorities issued a call for people to keep an eye on anyone at risk from high temperatures, including older people, those with underlying health conditions and young children.

The Met Office forecast a warm night for many parts of the UK, with sunny spells continuing today, particularly in the south of England.

“Dry, very warm or hot” conditions are expected to last into the week, with isolated heavy showers possible, though with cloudier and cooler periods in the north and along the east coast.