Many people in the UK are not taking skin care seriously enough during the current heatwave.

A survey carried out by Travelodge found that one in five people in Britain do not believe the sun is strong enough in this country to cause damage to their skin.

As a result, many are failing to use sun block and therefore making themselves more vulnerable to a number of serious illnesses.

The British Skin Foundation (BSK) has described this statistic as "worrying" - a sentiment I agree with entirely, as I wouldn't go anywhere on a hot day without my natural skin care products.

"Just one case of sunburn can significantly increase the chance of developing skin cancer," warned Indy Rihal of the BSK.

Leigh McCarron, sleep director at Travelodge, added that it is "essential" for sun worshippers to take steps to protect themselves.

The company also recommended that people spending time in the sun make sure they drink lots of water.

According to the Met Office, the heatwave is likely to continue until Friday.