A HEAT health alert has been issued for the whole of Dorset next week. 

Despite what has been a miserable, wet and cold summer, the UK Health Security Agency has warned residents across the county and south west of rising temperatures. 

A yellow heat health alert has been issued, to start at 9am on Monday, July 29 and lasting until 11pm on Wednesday, July 31. 

The Met Office has forecast the temperatures to rise to 25C, 27C and 26C in Bournemouth on Monday to Wednesday, respectively. 

On the alert, the UKHSA said: “Minor impacts are probable across the health and social care sector, including increased use of healthcare services by the vulnerable population [and] increase in risk of mortality amongst vulnerable individuals and increased potential for indoor environments to become very warm.” 

This comes after well above-average rainfall figures in the first half of July, with Dorset having 120 per cent of its monthly average already.