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Bournemouth council issues 'red alert' for 19 beaches as Brits flock to seaside amid heatwave

People enjoying the hot weather on Bournemouth beach in Dorset. PA Photo. Picture date: Friday August 7, 2020: PA
People enjoying the hot weather on Bournemouth beach in Dorset. PA Photo. Picture date: Friday August 7, 2020: PA

A number of beaches on the UK's south coast have been put on "red alert" as crowds of sunseekers flock to the seaside amid soaring heatwave temperatures.

Hundreds of people descended on Bournemouth beach on Friday, as scorching weather blanketed the UK on the second day of a heatwave that could last into next week.

Several other beaches in the Dorset region were also congested, despite local authorities pleading with visitors and residents to “play their part” in avoiding overcrowding at beauty spots.

By Friday afternoon, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council’s beach check app showed 19 of its 24 beaches under red alert, warning people to avoid the areas as safe social distancing is not possible.

The remaining beaches were under amber, meaning they were congested and beachgoers should “stay alert”.

Some of the beaches affected include Sandbanks, Mudeford, Avon Beach, Friar's Cliff and Highcliffe.

Elsewhere along the coast, in the South East, hundreds of people descended on Brighton beach and Margate beach.

Meanwhile, in the capital, Londoners were seen trying to keep cool in The Serpentine, with Hyde Park's lake offering some respite from the climbing temperatures.

The developments came as the RNLI called on beachgoers in the south west of England to follow water safety advice and adhere to social distancing.

Hundreds of people descended on Brighton beach on Friday (AFP via Getty Images)
Hundreds of people descended on Brighton beach on Friday (AFP via Getty Images)

Last week, the charity carried out 30 rescues in one day on just one beach in Cornwall.

The Coastguard also warned people to stay safe on Britain's beaches after rescue teams had responded to 70 call-outs across the UK by midday on Friday.

Forecasters have predicted the warm weather on Friday will top conditions in Barbados and Egypt, prompting the Met Office to issue an amber heat health warning and caution people to drink plenty of fluids, apply sunscreen and keep to the shade where possible.

Londoners were spotted trying to keep cool in The Serpentine, in Hyde Park, on Friday (Jeremy Selwyn)
Londoners were spotted trying to keep cool in The Serpentine, in Hyde Park, on Friday (Jeremy Selwyn)

The mercury has already hit 33C and is set to rise to at least 37C (98.6F) in London and the South East, with several other regions expected to see temperatures hover around the 30C mark.

Met Office forecaster Emma Salter said: “It will probably be one of the hottest days ever in the UK today, maybe in the top five. The hottest was 38.7C which was set last year.

“Today it will be the hottest day of the spell, with the heat staying above 35C for several days and lasting well into next week.

“There is likely to be three days in a row that temperatures will exceed 35C, and that’s only happened three time ever.

“London will see the peak, but it will be very hot throughout much of England and Wales.”

The threshold for a heatwave is three days of temperatures over 25C (77F) across most of the nation and 28C (82.4F) in London.

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Brits flock to Bournemouth beach as temperatures set soar to 37C- LIVE