HEALTH bosses in Bury have issued a warning to sunbathers ahead of Sun Awareness Week.

The message is simple: people who stay out in the sun too long run the risk of serious skin damage.

A sun awareness pack has been produced by the Health Education Authority to help people protect themselves.

And Bury and Rochdale Health Authority has produced a list of tips for readers.

The director of public health, Dr Kevin Snee, explained: "Protecting you and your family from the damage that the sun can cause is essential now that summer is with us.

"Apart from ageing our skin, sunburn even in children can lead to the development of skin cancer later in life. Skin cancer is the second most common cancer in England.

"The sun can be equally as damaging in Bury as it is abroad."

Dr Snee's top tips for safety in the sun are:

Babies under six months should be kept out of the sun completely.

Wear cover-up clothing like loose fitting tee-shirts and hats.

Always use a sun screen (for children at least SPF 15+) to protect against the UVA/UVB rays.

Re-apply sun screen regularly.

Avoid mid-day when the sun's rays are at their most intense - this is also important to avoid heat stroke.

To avoid heat stroke, drink plenty of fluids and make sure enough salt is taken in, large amounts are lost through sweating

Protect eyes from harmful rays with sunglasses that block all UV light, approved to BS 2724. Exposure to direct sunlight can lead to the development of cataracts.

Dr Snee added: "Deep tans are thankfully less fashionable these days, partly due to the growing awareness of the damage sun and sun beds can cause. We can all still have fun in the sun as long as people are responsible and realise that protection now could mean they are preventing longer-term skin damage and possibly illness."

Leaflets providing advice on protection from the sun are available from the Public Health Department at 21 Silver Street in Bury or by phoning (0161) 762 3100.

The sun awareness pack is available from Healthwise, the North West's health information service, on (0800) 665544. The lines are open from 9am to 9pm every day and the first 100 callers will also receive a free sachet of sun cream.

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