The Met Office predicted that average British temperatures in July and August this year could be unusually high, with potentially devastating consequences.

A documentary drama on BBC One last night imagined the effects of a devastating heatwave in 2006. Modelled on the events of 2003, Heatwave envisaged a scenario where the temperatures had topped 38C (100F) for six days in a row.

In the drama, the transport system grinds to a halt, hospitals overflow and large parts of the countryside catch fire. In August 2003, high temperatures killed about 27,000 across Europe. It is believed that in England about 2,000 deaths were caused by the heat — 85 per cent of them among the over 75s.

Yesterday the Department of Health published an information leaflet — also called Heatwave — telling Britons how to protect themselves from the heat. Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer, said: “The leaflet is designed to provide the public with commonsense precautions that will help people to enjoy the weather while protecting themselves from the dangerous, and potentially fatal, effects of these temperatures.”

The move is part of a revised government “heatwave plan” drawn up using lessons learnt from 2003, when a record for the highest temperature measured in Britain — 38.5C — was set in Kent.

The plan includes close monitoring of heat-related illnesses reported to GPs and NHS Direct. This would allow the NHS and other public bodies to swing into action as the weather hots up. Sir Liam added: “This second heatwave plan will help to ensure that the organisations that are involved in providing health and social-care services know what actions to take both now and if a heatwave arrives.”

The Met Office’s long-range predictions suggest that temperatures will exceed the summer average of 22C (72F).

Paul Cann, the director of policy at Help the Aged, said older people were particularly at risk. “Lack of preparedness in the 2003 heatwave across Europe caused a major social, medical and political crisis. While Britain is ahead in its thinking and planning for a heatwave, we would like the Government to invest in the much-needed vital research to ensure these plans would actually work in such an emergency,” Mr Cann said.

The leaflet advises:

• Plan your day in a way allowing you to stay out of the heat
• Avoid going out between 11am and 3pm
• Take cool showers or baths several times a day
• Eat cold food — salads and fruit — which contain water
• Take plenty of water if you will be outside for a while
• Check on older relatives or neighbours every day

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