Households have been urged to close all doors and windows in one room of their home on Friday and Saturday. This comes as the UK experiences hot weather, with the Met Office said temperatures reached 28C in one part of the UK, marking the warmest start to May on record.

Temperatures for today have reached 24C in some parts of the UK, and are forecast to be above 20C across some regions on Saturday. According to Met Office meteorologist Michael Silverstone, the UK had been forecast to experience its warmest May onset on record, with temperatures that were expected to climb to "29C or even 30C". The Red Cross has issued advice on how to cool down your home in hot weather.

One suggestion is to create a cool room, such as a bedroom or sitting room, as it can be hard to keep an entire home cool.

Keep windows covered and shut and close doors to stop warm air entering. Try to spend as little time as possible in rooms that will be hard to keep cool like a kitchen, where heat is generated by appliances and cooking devices or rooms with large windows.

The Red Cross also suggested keeping windows and curtains closed during the hottest parts of the day to keep warm air out.

Wait until the cooler times of the day to open windows. When they are open, you can creating a breeze in your home by opening different windows to help air to circulate.

They also recommended turning central heating off to not generate any further heat. You can also turn off and unplug appliances and electronics when they're not in use, as well as avoid having too many lights on.

Also consider cooking at cooler times of the day, or choose meals that don't require the use of an oven or hob that create additional heat.

If you are struggling to keep cool in your home, public spaces like libraries, shopping centres and supermarkets may be cooler.

You can also check with your local authority as they may have identified cool spaces where you can go.