ENSURE you stay well watered during the heatwave, that's the message from health chiefs.

And rather than go to accident and emergency ­— which recently had its busiest day of the year ­— they are asking people to contact their GP or pharmacist for advice.

Andy Ennis, Chief Operating Officer at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said: "A&E is seeing typical numbers at the moment, but we are mindful of the hot weather predicted for the rest of the week, going into the weekend.

"Because of this, we’d keep appealing to the public to choose well, use what’s out there in the community, GP surgeries and pharmacy services, and look after themselves.

"The main risks to health we see in times of hot weather are not having enough water, so patients coming in with dehydration; overheating – which can make symptoms worse for people who have problems with their heart or breathing; and heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

"Older people, especially those over 75, babies and young children are especially affected by the hot weather.

"It’s about being sensible and using the most appropriate health services when you need help, keeping A&E free for those who need it most.

“Earlier this week we had our busiest day ever in A&E, and our staff worked tirelessly to make sure every patient received the help they needed.

"The resilience shown by the whole team to ensure that the high numbers did not affect the care that patients received, is testament to their professionalism and positive attitude.

"I would like to say thank you to everyone who went ‘over and above’ their usual efforts."