Heatwave ‘drink water too’ NHS warning to England fans before World Cup clash

Heatwave ‘drink water too’ NHS warning to England fans before World Cup clash NHS chief's heatwave warning to ‘drink water even if not thirsty’ before England's World Cup clash with Panama as UK temperature records broken for third day in row Ambulance chiefs are warning England fans to keep drinking water in the record heatwave as they prepare for the World Cup clash with Panama. The chief of the UK’s biggest ambulance service says 999 services are coming under increasing pressure, advising to drink water “even if you’re not thirsty”. The head of London Ambulance Service (LAS) says England fans should consume water in between alcoholic drinks before and while watching the Panama game on Saturday night. It comes as the Met Office confirmed Friday broke the record for the hottest June day for the third day in a row. A provisional temperature of 36.9C was recorded in Wattisham, Suffolk, surpassing the high of 36.7C recorded in Merryfield, Somerset, on Thursday. LAS responded to its highest number of life-threatening emergencies ever on Wednesday and in the last few days at least three hospitals have declared critical incidents. New figures also show there was a 50% surge in 999 calls and an increase in alcohol-related assaults after the last match against Ghana. Craig Harman, LAS chief operating officer, said ambulance chiefs expect 999 calls demand to grow over the next couple of days. He said: "I'm saying to people I need you to drink water even when you're not thirsty, staying out of the sun during the hottest parts of the day, and particularly not exercising outside and putting your body under additional heat and strain." The capital reported a 50% increase in life-threatening emergency calls on Wednesday, compared with a typical Wednesday in June, with the number of cardiac arrests up 30%. Similar trends are likely nationwide. Red alert warning The Met Office's rare red warning is still in place on Friday, covering millions of people for the third consecutive day. Temperatures are expected to remain above 30C for much of the south through Saturday. Darren Farmer, LAS director of ambulance operations, said: “We are wishing the Three Lions the best of luck… but if you plan to drink alcohol, please do so responsibly, pace yourself and stay hydrated. We know from experience that a combination of excitement, tension, alcohol and warm weather can lead to avoidable ambulance callouts. “The draw against Ghana coincided with a bigger increase in demand than our win against Croatia, so although we know it will be a tense game, we would urge people to behave responsibly. You want to end your night winning and not in the back of an ambulance.” Temperatures could have hit 36C in London and 35C in Manchester on Friday, with Belfast and Cardiff looking at potential highs of 26C. The Met Office said temperatures had reached 36.7C in Merryfield, Somerset, on Thursday afternoon, provisionally making it the UK's hottest June day on record. The Met Office red alert had been in place up to Thursday for much of southern England, the Midlands and Wales because of the exceptional heat and humidity. It has now been extended until 9pm on Friday for London and parts of east and south-east England, stretching across Oxfordshire and Bedfordshire, Hampshire and Kent. A hospital close to where the Wimbledon tennis championships begin from Monday has issued a warning that it may face increased demand for emergency services as the soaring temperatures continue. Nicola Shopland, chief nurse at St George's Hospital in Tooting, south London, said: "Wimbledon brings people together and we're so lucky to have it on our doorstep - we want people to enjoy it but also be safe by taking simple actions such as staying hydrated, keeping cool and wearing sunscreen." Transport services have been disrupted and one rail operator has urged people not to travel for beach trips because of the extreme heat. Several hospitals have declared critical incidents amid the heatwave, with University Hospital Southampton being forced to cancel a number of planned operations and some outpatient appointments. Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust both declared critical incidents on Wednesday. Schools have closed, a hosepipe ban has been brought in for people in Kent and train services have been disrupted. The current heatwave is driven by a “heat-dome” – an area of high pressure that stalls over a region and traps heat – settling over western Europe and bringing extreme conditions across the continent.