IT'S official. Redbridge, if anybody hadn't noticed, is in the grip of a heatwave.

On Friday, after days of soaring summer temperatures, children at Aldersbrook Primary School in Wanstead, were sent home early for the summer holidays as the school closed down at lunch-time due to the excessive heat.

And because of the lack of let-up in the hot weather, health bosses have declared it a level three heatwave. The maximum is level four.

As the heat has stayed consistantly high, with temperatures topping 34 degrees in some parts of the South East, Redbridge Primary Care Trust (PCT) is alerting all health workers to the dangers of heat stroke and issuing leaflets on its symptoms to GPs and district nurses.

Most at risk are the very young and old.

Newborns like Mark Isted, who came into the world on July 13, will not be able to properly regulate his temperature for at least another four months when he will be able to sweat to cool down.

Until then babies can be kept cool by keeping them indoors with the curtains drawn, out of direct sunlight, and parents can use a fan (not directed onto their child) to create an artifical breeze.

When you do go out with them keep them shaded or in the shade.

Older people also have difficulty sweating so they should follow the same advice and eat light cold meals, drink plenty of water and wear light loose clothing.

And the elderly and young children are not the only ones that need to take extra precautions in the sun.

Animal handlers down at Foxburrows Farm in Hainault were making sure their prized pigs were protected from UVB and UVA rays by smothering them in sun cream to stop them burning while other animals sought refuge in the shade and spent the day conserving energy by sleeping.

And for the rest of us, ways of keeping cool followed a very conventional line.

Alan Fancy, manager of South Woodford Sainsbury's, said: "I have never seen ice cream sales like it. They are phenomenal but we are keeping up. It's just flying out of the store but we are keeping up.

"Ice cream sales are up 140 per cent."

Another way of enjoying the sunshine is to fire up a barbeque and so many people were taking advantage eating outdoors during the lovely weather that the supermarket branch sold out of charcoal by 10.30am on Saturday.

But even though ice cream and charcoal sales kept the store busy, an item that out-stripped all the others increasing by 300 per cent in sales was ready made ice cubes.

And as temperatures were again due to hit the mid 30s, yesterday. Mr Fancy was ready with ice cream, charcoal and above all ice cubes for this weekend's clearout.

For more information on staying cool and healthy in the heat log on to www.dh.gov.uk