HOW TO STAY SAFE IN THE SUNSHINE

* Clothes made from manmade fibres in darker colours are best at blocking out sun rays. Wet clothes are less effective.

* Wear a wide-brimmed hat covering the neck, ears and face - this is often where nonmelanoma skin cancers occur. STAY out of the sun between 11am and 3pm. If your shadow is shorter than you are, then it's time to seek the shade.

* Pale-skinned types should stay out of strong sunlight - even with sunscreen, they can burn in ten minutes.

* You don't need sunscreen in this country in the winter. From May to September, the British Association of Dermatologists recommends a sunscreen with an SPF no lower than 30 (children no lower than 50).

* To cover an average adult body, apply six teaspoonfuls of sunscreen. Apply liberally 15 to 30 minutes before going into the sun. Reapply every two hours.

* Around 80 per cent of waterproof sunscreen is rubbed off during towel drying, so always reapply after swimming.

* Use a sunscreen that has both UVA and UVB protection. UVA is rated by stars. It is better to have a sunscreen with a high SPF and fewer stars than one with a lower SPF and more stars.

THE DANGER SIGNS

* Contact your GP if you are worried about a mole. Look out for moles that are:

* Getting bigger, or are 6mm or more in diameter

* Changing colour, becoming patchy or darker, crusty or bleeding, itchy or painful. Changing shape, particularly if they are becoming irregular.