Children's clothes to carry sun warnings

NATIONAL GUIDELINES will be launched today to help protect children from the sun's harmful rays by labelling sun-resistant garments.

The British Standards Institution is issuing guidelines on the protective properties children's clothing must contain in order to be labelled sun- resistant.

The thickness of the fibres and the density of the weave determines how much of the sun's harmful rays get through to the skin.

If a garment complies with the new guidelines it will be entitled to be labelled with the wording "prevents sunburn" and the British Standard number. These garments must also advise use of sunscreen on exposed skin.