London will see moderate pollution on Sunday when thousands of runners take part in the London Marathon in hot temperatures.
Dry and sunny conditions are expected for the thousands taking part in the TCS London Marathon, with highs of 22C forecast for the capital.
According to Defra, there will be moderate pollution across London and the south of England on Sunday.
Adults and children with lung or heart problems, who experience symptoms, should consider reducing strenuous outdoor physical activity during periods of moderate pollution, Defra says.
However, the Department says that Britons without preexisting health issues can exercise as normal.
Air pollution can cause both short term and long term effects on health. Studies have found that people who are exposed to significant air pollution in early childhood are more likely to die early than those raised in areas with better air quality.
Race day in the city will begin on a cloudier note, with some light winds during the morning and early afternoon.
Temperatures of 10C are predicted when runners set off in waves at the start line in Greenwich Park.
It comes as the UK braces for several days of hot weather next week, with temperatures expected to reach as high as 27C.
Forecasters predict conditions will become increasingly warm from Monday – but whether any parts of the country will see an official heatwave remains to be seen.
Wednesday and Thursday look set to be the warmest days of the week, with 27C expected “quite widely”, most likely in London, Berkshire, Hampshire, and possibly Kent and East Anglia.
Grahame Madge, a Met Office spokesperson, said: “This would always have been a naturally warm spell.
“However, with the footprint of climate change, you can expect it to add a degree or so to the values that we would have expected.
“So, it’s likely that the temperatures for this event will be slightly higher.
“At the moment, it looks as though we’re probably not going to see heatwave conditions met.”
