55% of parents suffer sunburn within last year amid heatwave

More than half of parents have said they got sunburnt in the UK within the past year, as Britain is hit by a heatwave.

There are sunburn warnings amid a heatwave. Picture: PA

Some 55 per cent of parents with children under 18 got burnt, with almost three-quarters (72 per cent) saying they would be more likely to use sun protection abroad, a survey for Cancer Research UK and Nivea Sun found.

More than a third (35 per cent) said they got burnt while in their gardens, with the beach the second most likely location to incur skin damage. The school holidays have seen scorching temperatures exceeding 30C in some locations.

Parents are being encouraged to keep themselves and their children safe in the sun, with a fifth of those surveyed saying they did not feel they were setting a good example.

The YouGov survey questioned more than 2,000 adults in the UK, of which 463 were parents, over two days in April.

The results come after it was confirmed skin cancer rates had soared by 45 per cent in the decade to 2016.

Cancer Research UK’s Emma Shields said the UV index was the best way to know the strength of the sun’s rays, but added: “Simply look at your shadow and if it’s shorter than your height that means the sun’s UV rays are strong. This is also a good trick to teach your kids.”