Six-day heat health alert issued for South West

A six-day yellow heat health alert has been issued across the South West as temperatures above 30C (86F) are forecast.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Tuesday the alert had been put in place from 10:00 BST on Wednesday until 10:00 on 15 July.

The UKHSA said the predicted high temperatures were expected to pose "significant impacts" on health and social care services.

The agency said five other regions in England would also be covered by the yellow alert while the Met Office said it expected to see temperatures reaching highs of 32C (90F) over the weekend.

The UKHSA said along with the South West, the health alert would cover London, the South East, East Midlands, West Midlands and East of England.

BBC senior meteorologist David Braine said: "The UKHSA has said temperatures are likely to reach the threshold value for declaration of a heatwave."

The Met Office said a heatwave in the UK is officially defined when a place records at least three consecutive days on which daily maximum temperatures met or exceeded a threshold.

The heatwave threshold varies by county, reflecting the diverse climate across the UK, it added.

Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].