Cedars Upper School have paid tribute to former teacher Jim Hunt, stating that his pioneering work in engineering, carpentry and metal work has left the school with an exceptional legacy.

Jim led CDT (Craft Technology and Design) at Cedars in the 1980s and 90s, and was highly respected for his skills in engineering, wood and metal work.

A school spokesman said: “He believed that teaching craftsmanship to young people – boys in particular – was not only desirable but essential both as an absorbing joy and as entry to the world of work.

“Jim had welcomed the new, developing, electronic technology and indeed warmly embraced computer-assisted design, but was totally against local authorities encouraging schools to sell-off their CDT equipment – lathes, milling and welding kit and other precision tools – which were seen as superfluous in the burgeoning digital age.

“This grand sell-off contributed to the decimation of UK craftsmanship and a scarcity of teachers; apprenticeships became rare. Jim fought hard and prevented the sale of the school’s CDT industrial hardware.

“Today, Cedars is effectively the only school in Bedfordshire to retain its original, much sought-after tooling and equipment, which students not only continue to learn on and operate, but which have been at times upgraded and modified, making the school’s Design Technology department a centre of industrial skills excellence; Cedars students work closely with local and national businesses and manufacturers.

“Jim then went on to oversee Cedars £4.2 million new build which includes the Raven Theatre and a progressive and stylish atrium and sixth form block.

“Jim’s DT colleagues remember his particular skills as being ‘the best they ever came across’. He was held in the great esteem and his legacy gives today’s students the chance to study craftsmanship at a level sadly no longer available in most schools. Jim finally became the Exams Officer, presiding over Cedars accredited exam centre which continues to this day to pass every unannounced HMI visit with flying colours.”

Jim leaves a wife, Jacqui, and two sons, Philip and Richard who enjoyed many years of family holidays on a narrow boat and in a camper van both reconstructed by Jim.

“This is no dream! This is really happening!”

What would happen if the Biblical apocalypse hit just as a bunch of Hollywood actors were in the middle of a crazy drug and alcohol fuelled party?

Would any of them be taken up by the rapture? And what about those left to confront the grim end of days after the good souls had been whisked off to heaven? The title seems to be pretty specific. This Is The End. Well, is it?

It all begins with Jay ‘Tropic Thunder’ Baruchel visiting his best friend Seth ‘Superbad’ Rogen in Los Angeles.

Seth wants Jay to get to know his ‘new’ LA pals who include James ‘Spring Breakers’ Franco, Jonah ‘ 21 Jump Street’ Hill, Danny ’30 Minutes Or Less’ McBride and Craig ‘Hot Tub Time Machine’ Robinson.

All the actors in the film – those who you have heard of and those you vaguely recognise – play ‘themselves’ in a kind of mockumentary style and to be fair it’s a blast to see them riffing off each other, breaking the ‘fourth wall’ with lines like: “We act so hard but we’re really really not… it’s just acting!”

So in the face of imminent death and destruction, the actors squabble and generally go to pieces, which is highly entertaining watch.

As in so many recent movie comedies the dialogue is extremely profane and the comedy often vulgar, but the spin of seeing the actors supposedly being ‘themselves’ makes up for the off colour material.

The plotline is ripped straight from the Bible’s Book of Revelation where the moral driven home is ‘treat each other well if you want to be saved’ – so there is much to ponder amid the laughs.

The big budget special effects include some gross-out gore, massive flaming sinkholes and a scary giant demon, and these are just some of the trials for the juvenile pals.

A highlight that you may have seen in the trailer is when Emma ‘Harry Potter films’ Watson manages to rob the buddies single-handedly…

There are a ton of cameos, too with people like Michael ‘Scott Pilgrim’ Cera, Paul ‘Anchorman’ Rudd, Christopher ‘Kick Ass’ Mintz-Plasse, Rihanna and a superb against-type Channing ‘GI Joe’ Tatum all popping up for their moments of spoofing it up.

This Is The End is a wild, wacky comedy ride that will gross you out, make you laugh out loud and even cause you to contemplate turning to God – and I think you’ll agree that not many summer comedies can boast that.

Specialist fertility services are now available at the Luton&Dunstable Hospital’s new fertility centre which was officially opened on Friday.

L&D head of communications Barry Mayes said: “It’s great news for our patients – providing specialist services closer to home in a dedicated unit.

“Until now we have had to refer IVF patients to tertiary centres over 40 miles away, making it difficult for some couples to access treatment as several appointments are necessary.”

He added: “We’ve recently formed a partnership with Bourn Hall Fertility Clinic in Cambridgeshire who played a key role in achieving the world’s first successful test-tube baby in 1978.”

The centre has a friendly approachable team running a comprehensive service to both male and female partners offering a range of investigations and treatments.

These include ovulation induction with ultrasound scanning and intra-uterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilisation (IVF) through the NHS and self-funding.

The informal opening ceremony was attended by L&D fertility consultants Shahnaz Akbar and Jude Jose, CEO Pauline Philip, medical director Dr Mark Patten and Bourn Hall medical director Dr Thomas Mathews, as well as parents who’ve benefitted from the services.

Travellers who set up an illegal encampment on the privately owned land opposite Billington Grove, Leighton on Friday should be moved on “in the next day or so”.

Central Beds Council spokesman, Councillor Nigel Young, said: “Although this land is privately owned, we took swift action to get in touch with the landowners (a consortium of developers) to ensure that they took responsibility for moving the travellers on quickly.

“The developers have taken a similarly swift approach and we anticipate the site will be clear in the next day or so.”

Craft shop volunteer Denise Tebbutt was pre-warned to expect a VIP visitor a short while before John Travolta’s shock arrival at Leighton Buzzard Railway.

She said: “When several people entered the shop on the arrival of this train, I was aware that one of the people in the shop was our surprise visitor.

“I could the gentleman talking to his son in one area of the shop and as I could only just see him it took me a little while to recognise that it was John Travolta. When he came through to the counter area of course I recognised him, and proceeded to ask him if he would kindly give me two autographs for my sons, not even thinking to ask for a photograph and thinking no-one will believe that I had just met John Travolta!”

There’s more on this story in today’s LBO. On sale now.

Having a pop at the Chancellor of the Exchequer is about as ticklish a task as shooting fish in a barrel, so I’m not having a go at him. Well, not just him.

But the storm in a teacup fuss about his choice of in-office supper has opened up a whole new world for me.

For those of you who missed it, the minted MP for Tatton and squeezer of the nation’s wallets tried to portray himself as a down to earth man of the people as he worked on his latest cavalcade of cuts by posing for a picture that showed him working at his desk late into the night, a half-eaten burger by his side.

Critics who have little time for a seriously posh privately-educated and deep pocketed career politician slashing services he’ll never need left right and centre were quick to point out that the Chancellor was not chowing down on a fast food serving from the nearest chain outlet, but tucking into a Byron burger.

Now I’m sure I’m not the only person who had never heard of a Byron burger until a week ago – there are a fair few branches in London, a smattering in other major cities, and you can also bump into them in Cambridge or at the Bluewater centre if you are ever forced there against your will.

The biggest talking point last week was that the Chancellor’s choice of burger, from an admittedly upmarket chain, would have set him back just under £10. Compare that to the price of a Big Mac, whined the critics. That just shows how out of touch he is.

Maybe, but if anyone is out of touch here it’s probably me.

I had no idea that anyone would have the brass neck to charge the thick end of a tenner for a burger, or that anyone would be comfortable coughing up such an outrageous sum for a snack.

What’s more, the Byron burger is just one of the items on this particular chain’s mouthwatering menu.

Portion of chips to go with that burger, anyone? That’ll be £2.95, sir.

And that’s just for basic chips – there are posher versions that will set you back £3.25.

There aren’t that many burger joints round my way that will offer you courgette fries, either. Another £3.25, since you ask.

You’ll get some sense of how this isn’t an everyday burger joint when you see that the dessert options include Eton mess, there’s a wine list and you can nibble on olives while you wait if you don’t mind parting with another £2.75.

It’s not something that’s going to weigh heavy on my mind. It’s like caviar and foie gras – I know they exist but they’re not to my taste.

And why should George worry? I dare say that the bill for that burger will be appearing on an expense claim at some time in the future, won’t it?

Looking to bring a bit of Wedding Crashers sparkle to a comedy of modern times, Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson team up again in The Internship.

They’re a couple of old-school sales schmoozeres who could sell a barrel load of bacon at a bar mitzvah – but when boss John Goodman decides to shut up shop because all his customers are buying from online alternatives rather than his smooth sales force, they’re left high and dry.

There’s not much call in the modern job market for middle-aged men with little understanding of the commercial possibilities of cyberspace.

But that doesn’t stop them talking their way into internships at Google, who could use some warm product placement PR round about now, what with all those uncomfortable stories about miniscule tax bills and servers opening their secrets to secret service spooks.

Unfortunately, if they want to hang around for more than a brief spell of work experience they have to proof they are a match and more for superbrainy geeks half their age. Can they do it? What do you think?

It’s the first time the two leads have been on set together since The Wedding Crashers made such a mint and there’s no denying that they’re easy to watch in a buddy comedy. If you were expecting anything remotely surprising, though, you had best log on elsewhere.

There are some serious stars on show in Now You See Me, a tight thriller with master illusionists right in the middle of the story.

There’s a quartet of clever stage tricksters, including Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg, who round off a showboating display in Las Vegas by somehow transporting a member of the audience into a bank vault where he helps himself to a stash of cash which is then distributed to the punters to punish the bank’s misdeeds. Hoorah for the little guy!

Banker Michael Caine is not amused, as you might expect, and he is even less happy when Morgan Freeman realises that the stunt was just a distraction from what the quartet are really cooking up. It’s a diverting adventure that won’t stay long in the mind, but the novelty of the storyline and the confidence with which the whole thing is presented makes it a decent bet.

In Chasing Mavericks Gerard Butler plays a legendary surfer who rescues a young lad from the sea.

The kid grows up to be obsessed by surfing and determined to tackle the biggest waves around, so the older man reluctantly takes him under his wing to teach him how to achieve his goals without ending up six feet under. It’s based on a true story and the best thing about a fairly obvious tale is the stunning watersports footage.

The life expectancy of 36 roads in Central Beds has been extended by up to seven years thanks to a programme of micro-asphalting around the area.

The £400,000 project will improve Lowry Drive and Fensome Drive in Houghton Regis.

Cotswold Drive, Sandy Lane, Cheviot Close, Eriboll Close, Chiltern Gardens and Cleveland Drive in Leighton Buzzard will also be improved, as will Sheepcote Crescent in Heath and Reach.

Councillor Brian Spurr said: “By micro-asphalting we saved more than £1million in the short term without compromising on road quality.”

Travellers who set up an illegal encampment on the privately owned land opposite Billington Grove, Leighton on Friday should be moved on “in the next day or so”.

Central Beds Council spokesman, Councillor Nigel Young, said: “Although this land is privately owned, we took swift action to get in touch with the landowners (a consortium of developers) to ensure that they took responsibility for moving the travellers on quickly.

“The developers have taken a similarly swift approach and we anticipate the site will be clear in the next day or so.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Olly Martins says he remains “undaunted” by the challenges facing Bedfordshire Police at present as he welcomed the new Chief Constable who officially took charge of the force today.

Chief Constable Paul, who was recently awarded a Queens Police Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, brings with her a wealth of policing experience having served with the Metropolitan Police Service and South Wales Police.

Ms Paul said: “There is no doubt that policing continues to operate in a challenging financial environment, but Bedfordshire has already proved that it can make the necessary savings whilst also reducing crime.

“I am looking forward to working with officers, staff, and partners to ensure that Bedfordshire is a county where crime is reducing and satisfaction in what we deliver increases.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Olly Martins added; “We are facing some serious challenges in Bedfordshire, both budgetary and in terms of policing.

“Meeting these challenges is going to require the strongest possible partnership between Bedfordshire Police and the people it serves, so that policing is done with communities rather than to them.

“Throughout the selection process Colette Paul demonstrated a clear grasp of this and a vision for how it can be delivered, whilst building on the performance gains achieved by the Force in recent years.

“It is because of my confidence in what the officers, staff and volunteers of Bedfordshire Police can do under the leadership of their new Chief Constable Colette Paul, and working with the public, that I remain undaunted by the challenges we face”.

Discussing death with young people has often been seen as a taboo subject.

Now a new campaign launched by Child Bereavement UK will encourage schools to use elephants as an example to help children understand bereavement.

Teachers will explain that when an elephant dies, the herd is saddened and gathers round the body. The fact they never forget will emphasise that it’s all right for youngsters to talk about the people they love who’ve passed on.

Keech Hospice Care has welcomed the initiative.

Children’s specialist palliative care social worker Martin Hill said: “This is a positive step forward in the recognition of child grief and the needs of children affected.

“A surprisingly large percentage experience the death of a close relative or friend and until now there has been little support outside the hospice and child bereavement sectors.”
He added: “Having the issues of death, loss and grief more widely discussed will not only benefit those directly impacted but will also enable all children to talk more openly about an area of life experience that until now has been seen as off-limits to the young people in our society.”

Child Bereavement UK chief executive Ann Chalmers acknowledged some parents may be concerned about such a sensitive issue being discussed in the classroom. But she said she believed it would be benefical to bereaved families: “The children we support tell us how often they feel isolated when they’ve been bereaved.
“Teachers don’t know how to respond, and their peers can find it very dificult as well.

“We want to raise awareness about how these issues can be talked about in a non-threatening way.”

A woman is being treated by paramedics after reversing her black BMW into a wall at Waterborne Walk service road.

Leighton Buzzard fire crews attended the scene after receiving a call at 8.45am this morning.

The car is now being recovered by police while the woman, who is in her 50s, remains at the scene being treated.

Witnesses have described the car as a ‘write-off’.

Travellers who set up an illegal encampment on the privately owned land opposite Billington Grove, Leighton, on Friday have now moved to a site on Hockliffe Road.

The area is council owned land and a spokesman for Central Beds Council has confirmed it has began the process of clearing the site yesterday.

This comes after the council attempted to move the travellers from the land opposite Billington Grove on Tuesday.

Schoolchildren across the area have been busy designing energy saving posters to be displayed across schools and in Central Beds Council’s buildings.

The competition, organised by the council, asked all school children to design a poster to encourage everybody to think about the energy they use and sometimes waste.

Hundreds of colourful entries were received and judged by Richard Carr and Councillor Mark Versallion, executive member for children’s services.

The overall winning poster was designed by Emily Videtta, Year 3, with Luke Carter claiming first prize winner and Teegan Shaw achieving thirdplace, who are both students of Clipstone Brook Lower School.

Angie Hardy, headteacher of the Brooklands Drive school, said: “We are delighted and proud of our children who have won the Energy Saving Poster Competition.

“This will support our ongoing work around energy saving, and will hopefully help us achieve our Green Flag Eco-Award at the end of the year.”

Councillor Versallion said: “The quality of the entries was absolutely fantastic and all of them showed real imagination. Picking the winners was really tricky, but we chose them based on the impact they had and how effectively they taught us about saving energy.

We’ll be proud to display them in our offices for staff and the public to see and we hope they make people think twice about their energy use.”

Leighton’s Brooklands School won second prize in the middle school category.

All winners received prizes of solar powered toy model kits, solar torches or recycled stationary.

Revenge thriller PARKER (15:E1 Entertainment) has a certain gloss, but beneath that surface sheen it’s standard Jason Statham stuff.

Directed by Taylor Hackford and co-starring Jennifer Lopez, this daftly watchable flick sees Statham playing the eponymous crook who’s double-crossed and dumped by his gang mates.

Despite being beaten, shot, thrown from a moving car, then shot again, Parker’s up and after them within hours.

He learns they are planning a diamond heist in a wealthy Florida neighbourhood, so poses as a millionaire Texan wanting to buy a house in the area. Parker co-opts the help of a cash-strapped real-estate agent (Lopez), who predictably falls for our hero, even though he’s now wearing a stetson.

The film has some bone-crunchingly good action sequences and decent one-liners, but one suspects that this is more of a career high point for Statham than Hackford, whose CV includes An Officer And A Gentleman and Ray.

> Gently humorous road movie THE GUILT TRIP (12: Paramount) sees Seth Rogen playing a chemist who embarks on a make-or-break journey across America to pitch a wonder cleaning product he’s invented.

When his overbearing mother (Barbra Streisand) reveals she still harbours thoughts of her first love as a teenager, Rogen decides to take her along, secretly tracking down her former beau in the hope she may find happiness in her autumn years.

But he soon has cause to regret spending eight days on the road with his domineering parent.

The tale motors along at a brisk pace, albeit fairly predictably, and stops off to fill up at the requisite comic points.

Streisand shows she hasn’t lost her intuitive comedy touch, yet despite the sharp-tongued sparring between the two leads, it never quite delivers juggernaut-sized laughs.

> Low-budget crime drama THE WEE MAN (18: Metrodome) wheels out a lot of tired old gangster movie cliches, with psychotic killers, bent coppers and villains trying to go straight. At least writer/director Ray Burdis has the excuse that it’s all true.

In 1970s Glasgow, Paul Ferris (Martin Compston) is a bullied kid whose dad (Denis Lawson) advises him to keep his head down and not fight back.

He rejects that advice and takes bloody revenge on his tormentors, going on to become an enforcer for gang boss Arthur Thompson (Patrick Bergin) through the ‘80s and ‘90s.

But when Thompson’s son, envious of Paul’s relationship with his dad, secretly teams up with a rival gangster (John Hannah) loyalties are tested.

Burdis avoids aping Guy Ritchie or Quentin Tarantino, so there’s no fast-talking, wisecracking or funky soundtrack. He has, however, created a solid, serious-minded film that starkly portrays a violent, corrupt world.

> Sold as a sort-of Knocked Up sequel, Judd Apatow’s mid-life comedy THIS IS 40 (15: Universal) follows a likeable LA married couple (Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann) who have 40th birthdays on the horizon.

They turn to family and friends for help in coping with the challenges of work, parenthood, age and debt.

Regular belly laughs help the medicine go down, although it’s about 20 minutes too long.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder during a dawn raid on a property in Oakley Green.

The 30-year-old was also arrested for possession with intent to supply cannabis, after the raid by officers from the Beds, Cambs and Herts Major Crime Team yesterday (July 3).

He was questioned by detectives in relation to the murder of Luton man Paul Foster, who was fatally shot in the chest in Brunel Road, Luton on April 9.

He was released on bail pending further enquiries.

Two other men, aged 21 and 24 from Luton, are already on police bail for the murder of the 46-year-old.

Det Insp Sam Khanna, said: “This is still an ongoing investigation and detectives are continuing to follow all lines of inquiry. I would make a strong appeal to anyone who has information relating to this investigation to come forward and speak with detectives. I would reassure these people that they can speak with detectives confidentially or alternatively they can contact Crimestoppers, completely anonymously.”

A cash reward is available to anyone who provides information that leads to a successful conviction in relation to this murder and if you have information relating to this inquiry, if you saw the shooting itself or if you have information relating to the background of this incident, please speak with officers from the MCU, in complete confidence, on 01707 355959, or text information to 07786 200011, or alternatively you can speak to members of the independent crime fighting charity Crimestoppers, completely anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

A Leighton Buzzard festival is preparing to be bigger and better than its debut last year thanks to major funding from an events scheme.

BuzzFest is being backed by O2 Think Big, which is a scheme that aims to help young people who want to run arts events in their local area.

As well as financial funding, O2 are supplying BuzzFest with people that help with the running and promoting of live music events.

One of the event’s organisers, Kirstie Hopper said: “Last year was the first time Leighton Buzzard saw something like this, and it was such a huge success that I’m bringing it back this year bigger and better.

“Being backed by such a huge company is a major step forward for the festival, and has been a massive confidence boost for all involved with it.

“I’d love to show that Leighton Buzzard has a thriving music scene: something that deserves to be shown.”

On Friday, quirky guitar-pop three-piece, The Scruff, are headlining and with a string of sold-out shows,it’s the perfect opportunity to see the up-and-coming band on your doorstep.

The Scruff will be supported by Borderline:FIRE, Ascent, Columbia, YOUTH, Rusty G’s, Sword In Air and Slip Of The Tongue.

While over on Sunday, Dead Harts are the main act. Fresh off tour they promise to be the most energetic and chaotic live shows in the UK right now and will be supported by Canvas, ACODA, Embrace The Tide, In Archives, Shields, Young Kings and Sincerity.

The two-night festival is running tonight and Sunday at Leighton Town Football Club, Bell Close, Leighton Buzzard LU7 1RX where you have to be 1 4 or over to attend and I.D. is required for the bar.

Tickets can be bought online from www.wegottickets.com/f/6294 or on the door. It is priced at £8per day.

For more information you can like BuzzFest at www.facebook.com/BuzzFestLB

Around 4,500 Bucks residents will be asked what they think of transport services in the county when National Highways and Transport Survey envelopes start dropping on to doormats this month.

Buckinghamshire is one of 70 county councils taking part in the survey, which compares residents’ opinions with those of others across England. Results are expected to be published in early autumn.

The survey, sent to a random sample of residents, enables councils to compare results, share in best practice and identify opportunities to work together in the future.

Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB) says that it has been working hard to improve the county’s roads and transport services.

During the past 12 months TfB teams has:

• Repaired 32,661 Category 1 potholes, all within 24 hours of being reported

• Treated 178 roads as part of the We’re Working On It’ programme

• Cleared around 80,000 gullies

• Repaired 5,320 street lights

• Completed 81 winter gritting runs

Janet Blake, council spokesman for planning and transport encouraged residents to complete the survey.

“Residents have been very vocal about the condition of the roads in recent years, and we have invested £30 million in road resurfacing in the past two years.

“We’ve just started the second two-year programme with a further £25m, plus a recently agreed additional £3m.

“But we do much more than road resurfacing, which is why we’d value residents’ feedback across the breadth of the survey.”

John Lamb, Service Director for Place said there were clear benefits to this kind of public survey. It enabled everyone involved to identify areas of best practice and spot national, regional and local trends.

“This isn’t about producing a league table to champion one geographical area over another,’ said Mr Lamb. “It’s about better understanding customer views, and working together to deliver the best possible outcomes for local residents.”

Residents will be able to complete the survey online or on paper.

An 18-year-old has been inspired to cycle 2,500 miles down the west coast of America by his grandad who died of stomach cancer.

Ross Gardner, of Horton, has nicknamed his adventure Small Guy Long Ride as he travels alone for 70 days to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

Ross said: “I have always been a keen cyclist so when I saw Mark Beaumont’s documentary on YouTube of him cycling around the world it planted a seed.

“Now that I have started it has finally sunk in how big this challenge is and how far this is out of anything I have done before.”

The teenager will be travelling through some of the most iconic places in the USA; Crater Lake, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego in memory of his mum’s dad.

Ross added: “His passing affected everyone who knew him. We had known about his cancer but you just feel so helpless. Nearly everyone I know has been affected by cancer; it is rare to find anyone with no personal experience of people having it.

“The only way to stop people dying from it is to find better treatments and a cure.”

Keep up to date with his trip via his blog www.smallguylongride.blogspot.co.uk or to sponsor visit www.justgiving.com/smallguylongride

As the heatwave sets in, the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) is offering the public some simple steps to stay safe in the sun.

The most vulnerable in hot weather are the very young, older people or those with existing chronic or long-term medical conditions.

In particular, it can make heart and respiratory problems worse and of course cause sunburn. In extreme cases, excess heat can lead to heat stroke, which can be fatal.

Neil Storey, Director of Emergency Operations said: “Our ambulance crews can be very busy at this time of the year, attending calls from people who might have overdone it in the heat.

“The warmer weather is something we all take advantage of, and by following just a few simple precautions, people can enjoy the sun safely. People should ensure they have enough medication, and take the necessary precautions to prevent the effects of heat exposure.

“We are asking the public to call for an ambulance in life threatening emergency’s only. If you suspect someone is having a heart attack, stroke or they are unconscious, please call 999 immediately. If you have a toothache or a football injury you have had for several weeks, please use other NHS care pathways to receive treatment.”

John Martin, acting Director of Clinical Quality said that the effects of the hot weather include dehydration, overheating, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

He suggests the following simple tips from NHS choices which everyone can follow to ensure they make the best of the weather:

Shut windows and pull down the shades when it is hotter outside. If it’s safe, open them for ventilation when it is cooler.

Keep rooms cool by using shades or reflective material outside the windows. If this isn’t possible, use light-coloured curtains and keep them closed (metallic blinds and dark curtains can make the room hotter).

Have cool baths or showers, and splash yourself with cool water.

Drink cold drinks regularly, such as water and fruit juice. Avoid tea, coffee and alcohol.

Stay tuned to the weather forecast on the radio or TV, or at the Met Office website.

Plan ahead to make sure you have enough supplies, such as food, water and any medications you need.

Identify the coolest room in the house so you know where to go to keep cool.

Wear loose, cool clothing, and a hat if you go outdoors.

Check up on friends, relatives and neighbours who may be less able to look after themselves.

Also:

* Wear plenty of high-factor sun cream and don’t forget to top up regularly, and replenish after swimming.

* Use insect repellent if you are prone to bites

* If planning a barbecue, take all the usual precautions, ensure food is cooked thoroughly and protect yourself and others from flames. Never try to ignite a barbecue with an accelerant.

* Never jump into unsupervised lakes, rivers and weirs to cool down. The risk is too high and could quite easily end in a tragedy.

Anyone can be affected but those most vulnerable include:

older people, especially those over 75

babies and young children

people with a serious chronic condition, especially heart or breathing problems

people with mobility problems, for example people with Parkinson’s disease or who have had a stroke

people with serious mental health problems

people on certain medications, including those that affect sweating and temperature control

people who misuse alcohol or drugs

people who are physically active, for example labourers or those doing sports

Have a safe weekend by following this simple advice.