Brits will flock to the beach this weekend ahead of a three-day heatwave that could see temperatures soar to 37C.
But a doctor has warned beach-goers to remember one crucial item when they visit the beach amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Dr Amir Khan says hand-sanitiser will be vital tool in stopping the spread of the virus due to a lack of hand-washing facilities at public beaches.
He also reminded people to adhere to the social distancing guidelines because sunlight is reportedly only partially effective in killing virus particles.
Dr Khan told Good Morning Britain : "It's really difficult to wash your hands on the beach, so take hand sanitiser with you [to the beach].
The TV medic spoke with GMB hosts Adil Ray and Ranvir Singh this morning who quizzed him on how dangerous it was to visit the beach.
"There is evidence that strong UV light can kill the virus within 30 minutes, there was a study published in a journal called Protobiology and Protochemistry, that showed strong UV light can actually damage the hard case of the virus and kill it."
He continued: "But that's only on surfaces, it doesn't take into account the main way the virus is spread which is through droplets.
"So if you're standing within two metres of someone and they are sneezing or even talking loudly, they can pass droplets on to you that you inhale in, and no amount of UV light will stop that from happening.
"So you can't rely on sunlight to protect you from the virus, it's really important to say that," he maintained.
Met Office forecasters described the intense heat arriving today as 'Furnace Friday', saying Britain should brace for some "exceptional heat".
Around 150,000 visitors are expected at Brighton today, with 100,000 in Bournemouth, 75,000 in Great Yarmouth and 75,000 in Blackpool.
The scorching weather is caused by a 700 mile-wide hot air from Africa's Sahara Desert, which is rising to the UK after 45C was reported in Spain earlier this week.
The heatwave is expected to last through the weekend, with 35C possible on Saturday and 30C on Sunday.
Beachgoers visited Camber Sands and Brighton Beach in East Sussex as they soaked up the sunny conditions.
Last week on July 31, the UK recorded the hottest day of the year and the third warmest on record, with the mercury rising to 37.8C (100.04F) at Heathrow Airport.
