Filthy hot snap has Britons wheezing

Air quality in England was at or near the health-warning point yesterday as Mediterranean temperatures combined with exhaust emissions and other pollutants.

Friends of the Earth said Britain was "choking in the worst smog of the summer" but the Department of the Environment judged there was no need to repeat its special notice of six weeks ago, mainly directed at motorists and sufferers from asthma and other problems.

Nitrous oxide pollution was described as "poor" in London - carrying a warning to vulnerable people to avoid strenuous activity - and was nearly as bad in other parts of central and eastern England.

The potentially harmful levels will increase pressure for action to curb traffic in cities when the Government publishes its draft National Air Quality Strategy today.

More ammunition for environmental campaigners was provided by researchers for the British Lung Foundation who said high levels of summer ozone may be damaging the lungs of even healthy individuals.

The researchers, based at Southampton General Hospital, found that the airways of healthy people exposed to ozone pollution became inflamed. The findings suggested people could protect themselves from ozone with antioxidant vitamins like A, C and E.

The DoE air quality forecast for most parts of England was given as "poor" yesterday, though in the event the critical level was only triggered in North Yorkshire.

Nottingham was the hottest spot yesterday, reaching 31.4C. Holidaymakers leaving Heathrow for the Mediterranean were forsaking a baking 31C for a cooler 27C at noon in Nice.

Though the temperature fell short of this year's hottest - 33.1C in Jersey on 22 July and 32.9 at Gravesend on 7 June - the M25 started to melt around junction three, where it meets the M20 in Kent.

But the mini-heatwave is almost over. Showers, maybe thundery, are on the way.