Jazz festival visitors urged to stay cool in heat

Visitors to a popular jazz festival in Worcestershire have been advised to drink plenty of water and fluids and to wear sunscreen and light clothing, amid high temperatures this weekend.

The annual Upton Jazz Festival is taking place across nine venues in Upton-upon-Severn from Friday to Sunday, when temperatures are still expected to be above 25C.

Event organisers have shared advice from West Midlands Ambulance Service to ensure concert-goers stay safe in the sun.

"Every team member will be briefed, so there will be posters in every venue," organiser Jon Parsons said of the safety guidance.

More than 50 live performances are set to take place throughout the festival, with traditional jazz artists and orchestras on the line-up as the event marks its 39th edition.

Parsons said the stroller ticket would also allow visitors to wander around the venues and areas which were cooler.

"You don't have to sit in a stuffy theatre or concert hall for two to three hours," he explained.

"There are extra things we can do," he said. "We're just going to do our best to look after our people."

Parsons said more than 120 performers were expected to take to the stage and the festival had a "bit of everything".

Temperatures in Worcestershire are set to soar over the coming days after a red warning for extreme heat was issued by the Met Office for Wednesday and Thursday.

Guidance from the ambulance service also advised visitors to the festival to avoid strenuous activity during the hottest parts of the day and to stay out of direct sunlight during peak hours where possible.

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