UK heatwave: What's it like to work in a 'hot job'?

Temperatures have soared in the heatwave across Staffordshire

The UK is in the middle of a heatwave with an amber extreme health warning issued for large parts of England until Sunday.

Temperatures across the country could reach 35C (95F) in some areas over the next few days.

While guidance from the Health and Safety Executive gives a minimum for temperatures to work in, there's no legal upper limit.

So how are people coping who already have to work in hot environments?

'Red and sweaty'

Sarah Knight said working over a hotplate in her oaktcake shop has been "incredibly hot"

Sarah Knight, from Povey Oatcakes, in Biddulph, has to work over a hotplate which runs at about 180F (82C) to produce the Staffordshire delicacy.

Oatcakes are always in high demand in the county and this week has been no different, she said.

"The customers are in from the moment we open the door to the moment we shut.

"The oatcakes are coming off at 90 degrees and your face is over that hot-plate, that is why I am very red and very sweaty. It is an absolute killer at times."

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The shop opens about 07:00 BST and at least one hotplate is running until they close at 15:00.

"We do swap as often as we can on it but as you can tell, I am beetroot at the moment," Ms Knight said.

"I'm back in on Friday and it is going to be even hotter. I'm just thankful I am off on Saturday, it is incredibly hot in here."

Given the heatwave, demand has been higher for the cold oatcake fillings, she said.

'A thousand degrees'

Working next to his forge has been an "uphill struggle" for blacksmith Matthew Clarke

A blacksmith working on ironwork over an open forge might be "nice and toasty" in winter, but for Matt Clarke it has been an "uphill struggle" this week.

He works at Heakley Hall Forge, Norton Green, near Stoke-on-Trent, where the forge has been "kicking out about a thousand degrees in the middle".

"It just makes work 10-times as hard but you try your best, get some fans, move some cooler air around."

Mr Clarke said the temperature about a metre from the forge has been about 40C (104F) and he has had to pace himself.

"Just trying to start as early as I can in the morning and knock off the forge a bit over the hottest time," he said.

"If it does cool down a bit, towards the afternoon, fire it back in and sneak some of the less hot work - manual work I can do."

"I just have to slow down. Takes longer to do but I just have to soldier on."

'More shaved heads'

George Shufflebottom said requests for shaved heads have increased in the hot weather

For George Shufflebottom at The Heritage Barbershop in Newcastle under Lyme, getting an air conditioner this week "has been a game changer - you don't dread coming to work".

"You used to think how much you would sweat in the day, it would be really uncomfortable," he says.

"Used to make a lot of hair stick to heads, which made the job harder."

Sitting in the barber's chair would be uncomfortable too for his customers, he said.

"With the gown around you it traps all the heat. It made things a lot more harder.

The heatwave has led to a change in demand for styles, with "a lot more shaved heads this week than there has been".