Bolton is under a yellow heat health alert until Wednesday at 5pm as forecasters warn the town could climb to 31C on Tuesday afternoon. The warning comes after a warm and sunny bank holiday weekend and after Bolton was hotter than Barcelona during the recent heatwave.

Dr Jane Wilcock, a retired GP from Harwood, urged people to stay out of the midday sun, drink plenty of fluids and check in on vulnerable neighbours. She said residents should avoid going out between 11 am and 3 pm where possible, and should wear hats, loose clothing and high-factor sun cream when they do head outside.

Wilcock said the advice is grounded in years of seeing the consequences up close. She said she had witnessed the effects of severe sunburn and dehydration first-hand during her time working as a GP, and warned that children and others who cannot clearly express themselves need particular care because they may not be able to say when they are burning.

The warning is not just about short-term discomfort. Wilcock said skin cancers are at an all-time high, particularly malignant melanoma, basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer, and said she has seen large numbers of cases among people who did not protect their heads, ears or hands in the sun. She said the number of people with bald heads developing skin cancers is enormous because they have not worn hats, and added that ears and the backs of hands are especially vulnerable.

The heatwave has continued across Greater Manchester, keeping temperatures in the high 20s through much of the week. Wednesday is expected to stay warm at around 22C, before temperatures rise again towards 26C on Thursday.

For Bolton, the message today is straightforward: the hottest spell is arriving now, and the next two days still carry enough heat to cause harm if people are careless outdoors.