UK weather: Health alert in force – here’s how to stay cool in the heat
A yellow heat health alert is in force across most of England and will remain in place until Thursday evening.
Temperatures are expected to climb as high as 31C (88F), bringing increased pressure on the NHS.
As the country swelters, here are some of the best ways to stay cool from forecasters and authorities across Europe, including the NHS.
Stay hydrated
It may seem like an obvious one, but drinking plenty of water is often overlooked.
Cool down from the inside out by staying hydrated with plenty of liquids. It is recommended to drink between 1.5 and 2 litres per day.
A dog cools off in the River Thames. Pic: PA
Taking cool baths or showers will also help you keep cool, according to the NHS.
Avoid alcohol
Bad news for some, but forecasters advise against drinking alcohol in the intense heat, as well as teas and coffees, which act as diuretics and can cause dehydration.
Read more: Find out the latest forecast for your area
Pyjamas in the freezer
During the day, place your pillowcase or pyjamas in the freezer. Take them out before going to bed. Hopefully they will cool you down and help you sleep better.
Throughout the day, wearing loose, cool clothing and a hat and sunglasses will also help.
And wearing lighter coloured clothes will keep you cooler.
…and flannels
Sticking a flannel in the freezer can be especially refreshing to place on your forehead as you lie in bed.
Turn on the fan
Fans can help your body regulate its internal temperature – and sticking a pan of ice cubes in front of it can make the circulating air even cooler.
If you haven’t got one handy, fill a hot water bottle with cold water instead.
Dump the duvet
Thin cotton sheets will absorb sweat and are more comfortable than duvets.
Your body temperature will begin falling during the night – so hopefully you won’t feel warm and uncomfortable for too long.
How to sleep better at night
It can be all too easy to start feeling annoyed and exasperated when you’re struggling to sleep.
The best thing to do is to try to distract yourself with a relaxing activity such as reading – and try going back to bed when you’re tired.
Avoid the temptation to go on your phone, as this activity can stimulate you.
Close windows
While it might seem counterintuitive, keeping windows closed and drawing the blinds during the peak heat will keep rooms cooler.
Open windows for ventilation when it is cooler outside.
Heat rises… so sleep on the lower floor
If your home has several floors, it might be worth sleeping downstairs. Spend more time in the coolest room in the house.
Plan ahead
If you are planning to spend time outside, plan your day to make sure you have plenty of food, water and any medications needed.
The NHS says that anyone vulnerable to the effects of heat should avoid the sun during the hottest part of the day, which is usually between 11am and 3pm.
Ensure you have sun cream, even if you aren’t prone to burning. Apply at least SPF15 with UVA protection.
Keep pets shaded
Owners may worry about how to keep their pets cool.
For starters, don’t keep them in the car and when home, the Humane Society advises keeping pets in the shade or air-conditioned area.
Apply ice packs or cold towers to their head, neck and chest.
Try this tip from the Royal Navy
Royal Navy officers have been submerging their hands in cold water to cool down faster since the 1990s.
Research has shown colder water speeds up the rate of cooling – with core temperature reduced by around one degree for every 10 minutes of hand immersion in 15C water.
This technique has also been adopted by athletes who need to cool down rapidly when alternating between rest and movement.
Pic: AP
Put ice on your pulse points
Applying ice to the wrists and side of the neck can help to lower body heat as the blood vessels in those areas are close to the skin’s surface.
Metropolitan Police is to stop investigating “non-crime hate incidents” to “reduce ambiguity” after prosecutors dropped a case against Graham Linehan.
Linehan, 57, will face no further action after being arrested over his social media posts about transgender people.
The Father Ted and IT Crowd creator said his lawyers had been told the case wouldn’t proceed. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed the move.
Linehan, 57, was arrested on suspicion of inciting violence when he landed at Heathrow from his home in the US on 1 September.
The incident drew criticism of the police and government from some politicians and free-speech campaigners.
Met Police said today it would stop investigating “non-crime hate incidents” to “reduce ambiguity” and “provide clearer direction for officers”.
Posting on X, Linehan announced : “After a successful hearing to get my bail conditions lifted (one which the police officer in charge of the case didn’t even bother to attend) the Crown Prosecution Service has dropped the case.
“With the aid of the Free Speech Union, I still aim to hold the police accountable for what is only the latest attempt to silence and suppress gender critical voices on behalf of dangerous and disturbed men.”
The union said it had hired a “top flight team of lawyers to sue the Met for wrongful arrest, among other things”.
“The police need to be taught a lesson that they cannot allow themselves to be continually manipulated by woke activists,” it added.
A Crown Prosecution Service spokesperson confirmed it had reviewed the case file and decided “no further action” would be taken.
Linehan said he had to be taken to hospital on the day of his arrest. Pic: PA
In one of his posts, Linehan wrote: “If a trans-identified male is in a female-only space, he is committing a violent, abusive act. Make a scene, call the cops and if all else fails, punch him in the balls.”
Another was a photo of a trans-rights protest, with the comment “a photo you can smell”, and a follow-up post saying: “I hate them. Misogynists and homophobes. F*** em”.
A Met Police statement after the case was dropped acknowledged “concern” around Linehan’s arrest.
It added: “The commissioner has been clear he doesn’t believe officers should be policing toxic culture war debates, with current laws and rules on inciting violence online leaving them in an impossible position.
“As a result, the Met will no longer investigate non-crime hate incidents.
“We believe this will provide clearer direction for officers, reduce ambiguity and enable them to focus on matters that meet the threshold for criminal investigations.”
Linehan said on his blog that he was arrested by five armed officers and had to go to A&E after his blood pressure reached “stroke territory” during his interrogation.
Police said the officers’ guns were never drawn and were only present as Linehan was detained by the aviation unit, which routinely carries firearms.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Farage likens UK to North Korea in Congress
Read more:
Linehan: Satire ‘dying’ and Father Ted wouldn’t be made today
What you can’t say online
JK Rowling, who’s regularly shared her views on women’s rights in relation to transgender rights, was among those who had criticised the arrest, calling it “utterly deplorable”.
Reform’s Nigel Farage, shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick, and ex-foreign secretary Sir James Cleverly also hit out at the treatment of Linehan.
UK
Maccabi Tel Aviv fans will not be able to buy tickets to Aston Villa match next month, Israeli club says
The son of former England footballer Stuart Pearce has died in a crash, his family has said.
Harley Pearce, from Marlborough in Wiltshire, was driving a tractor near Witcombe, Gloucestershire, on Thursday, when he was involved in a collision, police said.
The 21-year-old farming worker died at the scene, on the A417 Old Birdlip Hill in Witcombe, around five miles from Gloucester.
No other vehicles were involved, Gloucestershire Constabulary said. Emergency services were called to the scene of the incident at about 2.30pm on October 16.
Stuart Pearce at last year’s FA Cup Final at Wembley. Pic: PA
Harley Pearce was 21 and worked in farming, according to reports.
‘Our shining star’
In a tribute posted on Facebook, Harley sister, Chelsea Pearce, said the family was “truly shocked and utterly heartbroken at the loss of our cherished son and devoted brother, Harley”.
He was, the family said, was a soul “who left an unforgettable imprint on all who knew him”.
“He was a golden boy with an infectious smile, and this shocking tragedy will leave a huge hole in the hearts of those who were fortunate enough to have known him.”
He had “a quiet, understated strength and deep kindness”.
The family said they were “so proud of the young man he had become, exhibiting a wonderful work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit in the farming industry.
“He will always be our shining star. Rest in Peace, our beautiful son and brother. You will never, ever be forgotten.”
What have police said?
Harley ran his own company, Harley Pearce Agricultural Service, talkSPORT said.
Gloucestershire Constabulary said on Thursday: “The driver of the tractor, a man in his 20s and from Wiltshire, was pronounced dead at the scene.
“His next of kin are aware and being supported by specially trained officers.”
The force is appealing for any witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to contact them.
‘Tragic news’
Harley’s father, Stuart Pearce, played 78 times for England and was part of the Three Lions squads which reached the semi-finals of the 1990 World Cup and Euro 96, the FA said on its website.
He was later the head coach of the England Under-21s.
During a long club career, he made more than 400 appearances for Nottingham Forest, many of them as captain, during a 12-year spell at the City Ground.
He later managed the club, as well as another former club, Manchester City.
Pearce currently works as a pundit on talkSPORT, which said on its website that Harley and Chelsea were the two children he had with his ex-wife Liz.
Presenter Jim White said during a broadcast on Monday that “everybody here on this show and at talkSPORT sends our heartfelt condolences to the family of Stuart Pearce after that tragic news we’ve just heard”.
Read more on Sky News:
Andrew ‘should live in exile’
What’s affected by internet outage
Blind patients regain sight
Several of the clubs he played for posted tributes on X, including Forest, who said they were “deeply saddened”.
The club said: “The thoughts of everyone connected with Nottingham Forest are with Stuart and his family at this truly difficult time.”
West Ham United said: “We are saddened to hear of Harley Pearce’s passing.
“Everyone at the Club sends their deepest condolences to Stuart and his family at this tragic time.”
Manchester City said: “Everyone at Manchester City sends their love and thoughts to Stuart and his family at this very difficult time.”
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports2 years agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports3 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Sports3 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment1 year agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024