Amber heat health alerts have been issued across parts of England, and hosepipe bans have been imposed in several regions as the third heatwave of the summer takes hold. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warning came into effect at noon on Friday, covering the East Midlands, West Midlands, south-east, south-west, east of England and London until Monday morning.
Temperatures are expected to reach up to 33C over the weekend, with possible highs of 33C on Saturday. While this falls short of the 34.7C recorded earlier in July, the Met Office said the heat will be more widespread. A yellow heat health alert is also in place for the north-east, north-west and Yorkshire and the Humber from midday Friday.
The alerts warn of a potential rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) urged people to drink water regularly, seek shade and use sunscreen. Steve Cole, policy director at RoSPA, said: “Heat is no longer just a holiday perk, it’s a growing public health risk.”
Households in Yorkshire were the first to face a hosepipe ban, which came into effect on Sunday. Restrictions followed in Kent and Sussex, with South East Water citing “record levels” of demand since May. The ban prohibits using hosepipes for watering gardens, cleaning cars, filling paddling pools and other activities, and comes into effect from 18 July. Customers ignoring the ban could face fines of up to £1,000.
