With the possibility of reaching 32C, today will be one of the hottest days of the year so here are some tips to stay safe in this spell of warm weather:

• Try to keep out of the sun between 11am to 3pm

• Wear UV sunglasses, preferably wraparound, to reduce UV exposure to the eyes, walk in the shade, apply sunscreen of at least SPF15 with UVA protection, wear a wide brimmed hat and light, loose-fitting cotton clothes. This should minimise the risk of sunburn.

• Drink lots of cool drinks and when travelling ensure you take water with you. Avoid caffeine and alcohol.

• Look out for others especially vulnerable groups such as older people, young children and babies and those with serious illnesses

• Never leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle, especially older people, infants, young children or animals

• If medicines are sensitive to temperature it may be worth keeping them in the fridge

• Children should not take part in vigorous physical activity on very hot days, such as when temperatures are above 30C

If you notice that someone has signs of heat exhaustion- where you become very hot and start to lose water or salt from your body- you should:

• Get them to lie down in a cool place, such as a room with air conditioning or somewhere in the shade

• Remove any unnecessary clothing to expose as much of their skin as possible

• Cool their skin –use whatever you have available, such as a cool, wet sponge or flannel, cold packs around the neck and armpits, or wrap them in a cool, wet sheet

• Fan their skin while it's moist – this will help the water to evaporate, which will help their skin cool down

• Get them to drink fluids – this should ideally be water, fruit juice or a rehydration drink, such as a sports drink

• Stay with the person until they're feeling better. Most people should start to recover within 30 minutes.