Firefighters send warning after sunglasses which were left in sunlight set car on fire

An alarming photo shows why you should always be mindful about what you leave in a car on hot days, after one everyday item triggered a fire.

While many Brits will welcome the hot weather after months of inevitable drizzle, the change in temperature can lead to a number of issues that we’re not always that used to - from melting train tracks to sweaty offices with no air conditioning.

But as the sun begins to shine, it can also present unexpected dangers.

We know we need to protect our skin from harmful UV rays, while some people may suffer from heatstroke if they get too much exposure from a long day in the beer garden.

romli/Pixabay

However, a fire department has warned that we also need to be wary about what items we leave in boiling hot cars, having released a photo showing the aftermath of a fire caused by a pair of sunglasses.

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service posted the photo on Twitter at the weekend, writing: "The sun has been strong but beware this can cause fire.

“Earlier we attended a fire caused by sunglasses left on the dashboard.

"Make sure you keep reflective objects out of direct sunlight."

The force confirmed the incident happened in Nuthall on Saturday, 27 May at 5.05pm, adding: “A fire engine from Stockhill attended.”

Many people were stunned to see the damage from such a standard, everyday item, with one commenting: “Never knew that! Thanks.”

Someone else wrote: “Good information, looks nasty. Well done on giving out a warning and attending the fire.”

Twitter/Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service

The latest bank holiday weekend has seen temperatures rise across the UK - although some areas faced cloudy conditions.

Ahead of the weekend, the Met Office said the nation was unlikely to hit ‘heatwave conditions’ but that it was at least still going to be warm enough to tempt me out to a beer garden.

Met Office Chief Forecaster Paul Gundersen said: “The jet stream sitting to the north of the UK is holding unsettled weather systems at bay and allowing high pressure to dominate, bringing fine weather to the vast majority of the UK.

"The current position of the high-pressure means we will see a westerly air flow over the UK, a cooler direction than if air was being brought up from the south, and areas such as Spain or Africa.

"Therefore, we are not likely to reach heatwave conditions, but temperatures will still be warm reaching the low 20’s for many, particularly in the south west and southern Wales.”