Londoners were today urged to paint their house a light colour to deal with a heatwave - as Britain faces a showery, cool Bank Holiday and half-term.
They were also advised to grow trees and leafy plants near windows to act as natural air-conditioners.
The string of measures are in Public Health England’s Heatwave Plan for England 2013 as “longer term” action to take to deal with high temperatures.
Meanwhile Londoners hoping for a heatwave over the Bank Holiday weekend look set to be disappointed.
The beginning of the weekend is forecast to start off well, with sunny spells and fine weather tomorrow, but there is still the chance of some showers. The top temperature will be 16 degrees.
Sunday will be dry with spells of sunshine, but by the afternoon of Bank Holiday Monday it is expected to be rainy and windy in the capital.
Scientists are predicting hotter spells in the UK despite the bitterly cold winter which saw thousands more pensioners dying than usual and March being the coldest in the UK since 1962.
A heatwave in August 2003 saw around 2,000 extra deaths, with a 60 per cent rise in fatalities among the elderly over 75, as temperatures soared well above 30 degrees C.
The South East is seen as the most likely region to be hit by a heatwave.
Plans are in place to distribute bottled water on the Tube if temperatures are set not to fall below 24 degrees C on the Underground for three days running.
In sweltering temperatures, people are advised to:
* Keep out of the sun between 11am and 3pm.
* Make sure babies, children and elderly people are not left alone in stationary cars.
* Check on elderly, sick neighbours and the very young that they are able to keep cool.
* If you have to go out in the heat, walk in the shade, wear suncream, a hat and light scarf.
* Have plenty of cold drinks and avoid excess alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks.
* Eat cold foods, particularly salads and fruit with a high water content.
* Avoid extreme physical exertion.
* Wear light, loose-fitting cotton clothes.
