Cold water shock warning from East Midlands Ambulance Service as amber alert for extreme heat issued across parts of UK

Health services have warned about the dangers of cooling off in open water as the country prepares for another hot weather spell.

The advice comes on the same day as the Met Office issuing an amber weather warning for extreme heat across parts of England and Wales, with Newark expected to reach 32C this weekend.

East Midlands Ambulance Service put out the message through social media channels to raise awareness about the issue, telling the public not to let the hot weather fool them.

The average water temperatures in the UK are around 12C and water is classed as cold water at a temperature of 15C or below.

The post explained how shock can be potentially deadly: "Cold water shock causes the blood vessels in the skin to close, which increases the resistance of blood flow. The heart rate also increases. As a result, the heart must work harder, and your blood pressure goes up.

"Cold water shock can therefore cause heart attacks, even in the relatively young and healthy. In a matter of minutes, you can drown and die."

The service suggests that those wanting to swim in open water this summer should find an organised open water swim session that will be supervised by experts of open water.

Alternatively, members of the public can go to their local swimming pool.

Earlier this summer Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service also issued warnings about entering open water in an attempt to cool off.

The fire service say that open water can be more dangerous than it appears with strong currents and harmful objects under the water as well as the cold temperatures.