Hotter than Barbados

But fears for elderly and ill as UK braces for 35C heat

IF you’d planned a trip to the Costa del Sol in search of some sun next week, you needn’t have bothered – for Spain is sending the weather to you.

A plume of hot air blowing in from the region will move across Britain from Tuesday – making it hotter here than Ibiza and Barbados.

Forecasters have predicted a scorching week, with temperatures expected to soar to highs of 35C (95F).

But health experts said the sudden heatwave could prove dangerous for the elderly, sick and vulnerable – with the expected temperatures far higher than anything seen in Britain this year. The warmest day of the year so far – 26.8C (80F) – was recorded in Kew Gardens a fortnight ago.

Met office forecaster Laura Young said it was ‘unlikely’ any records would be broken, but refused to rule out temperatures beating 38.5C (101F) – the hottest ever recorded in the UK.

This high, seen in Kent in August 2003, came in the midst of a tenday heatwave which led to 2,139 deaths – prompting the NHS to draw up a heatwave plan with local authorities and the emergency services. Miss Young said: ‘In the Southern half of the UK, particu- larly in South Eastern and central parts of England we could see temperatures in excess of 30C (86F) and anything up to mid-thirties.

‘ It’s going to be a bit of a shock ... We could go from 20s to mid-30s very quickly.’

She added: ‘This could be quite dangerous for vulnerable people such as the elderly or those with cardiac problems.’

Health experts advise people to stay indoors and drink plenty of water to keep cool, with the AA warning motorists to prepare for extreme temperatures which soften road surfaces.

The weather will become fresher by the end of the week, with a risk of thunderstorms by Friday. This weekend is likely to be pleasant, with temperatures of around 20C (68F) to 24C (75F) although bursts of rain are expected tomorrow.