Lido 'inundated with bookings' as heatwave grips UK

People across Surrey have been doing their best to stay cool amid the record-breaking heatwave in the UK.

Wisley, in Guildford, is expected to hit 33C on Tuesday while Charlwood, in Mole Valley, should hit 32C, according to the Met Office.

Geoff Lawrence, marketing manager for Guildford Lido, operated by Freedom Leisure, said as soon as temperatures warm up, especially with reports of a heatwave, the facility becomes inundated with bookings.

"We are at full capacity today with 2,900 visitors coming," he said.

The record for the hottest May day in the UK could be broken again, with lunchtime temperatures hitting 32.2C at London's Heathrow.

On Monday, 34.8C in Kew Gardens was recorded in south-west London - beating the previous May record, set in 1922 and 1944, by 2C.

At the lido in Guildford, Lawrence said bookings for Wednesday were already full, while there were 1,000 bookings for Thursday and 900 for Friday so far.

"I was at the lido this morning and it was great to see everyone smiling, laughing and having a fantastic time," he added.

Lawrence said the pool was a "vital community asset", allowing local residents to enjoy the water without needing to travel further afield.

However, Shaheer Nawaz, who has a King Whippy ice cream van in Woking Park, said: "Usually we are very busy during the summer, but when it is really hot, we're not as busy people think we might be.

"People are more likely to travel and head to the beach or they stay indoors."

Nawaz said he worked long hours during the summer, usually from 06:00 BST until 19:30.

"The ideal temperature for the business is between 22 and 28 degrees," he said.

Meanwhile, Surrey County Council has issued a health reminder on its social media page, urging residents to stay safe.

It advised: "The best thing to do in hot weather is stay out of the direct sun, especially during the hottest part of the day, between 11am and 3pm, as UV rays are strongest during these hours."

The local authority also reminded residents to regularly check on family members' wellbeing, particularly older people, those who lived alone, younger children and babies.

It has also advised residents to ensure they are up-to-date with information on key services as extreme hot weather could have an impact.

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