UK weather: ‘Red alert’ issued along south coast as heatwave draws huge crowds to beaches

Social distancing not possible on packed beaches, council warns

Large stretches of England’s south coast were put on red alert as thousands flocked to beaches on Friday afternoon, when temperatures reached 37C on the hottest day of the year so far.

Dense crowds of people descended on Bournemouth beach on Friday amid heatwave conditions, leading local authorities to advise the public that social distancing was not possible and to stay away.

Emergency services make their way along the seafront on Bournemouth beach (PA)

Several other beaches on the Dorset coast were subject to the same alert, which came after the RNLI called on beachgoers to observe social distancing rules.

Bournemouth Council’s Beach Check app marked a majority of beaches in the region with a red alert, signifying that “safe social distancing” was “not possible”.

The Beach Check app, which operates with a traffic light system, advised the public to “avoid” beaches including Bournemouth, Sandbanks, Mudeford, Avon Beach, Friar’s Cliff and Highcliffe.

Elsewhere in the country, people took to beaches and public parks to sunbathe despite warnings about the extreme heat.

Weather alerts are in place across the UK as the country faces a heatwave which is expected to continue into next week.

Windshields prove popular among beachgoers in Skegness (PA)

Public Health England issued a heat-health warning to advise people to stay cool indoors by closing curtains that face the sun and to ensure pets or children are not kept in vehicles.

Sunbathers keep their distance in London’s St James’s Park (EPA)

The Coastguard warned people to stay safe on the beach after rescue teams responded to 70 call-outs by midday on Friday.