Six items every UK driver should remove from cars this weekend

Parts of the UK are experiencing scorchingly hot weather - and an urgent warning has been issued to drivers about leaving things in their car.

Amber heat health alerts have been issued across swathes of the South of England lasting until Monday morning, and a lower yellow warning is in place elsewhere.

The scorching temperatures mean that vulnerable people with health conditions, and older people, are at higher risk, leaving the NHS under strain. The amber alert indicates that other public services, like the transport networks, could also be affected by the ongoing heatwave.

Anyone who drives knows the truly unbearable feeling of getting inside their car on a hot day, and putting up with a few excruciating minutes before the air conditioning starts kicking in. When our vehicles are parked up in a heatwave, it gets even hotter inside than it is outside - and leaving some items in your car during this kind of hot weather could be a serious mistake.

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These day-to-day items can become damaged in the heat of your vehicle, posing major health risks and even the danger of fire.

First up, canned fizzy drinks. You might be forgiven that the worst thing that could happen from leaving one of these in you vehicle during a heatwave is that it's a bit warm and gross when you go to drink it, but according to an expert, they can explode in seriously high temperatures due to their carbon dioxide content, which expands as it get hotter.

At best, this could leave you with a seriously sticky mess to clean up, and at worst, it could pose a huge hazard to anyone in the car at the time, which could additionally cause a ripple effect and be dangerous for other people using the roads too. So it's best to never leave these in your vehicle for an extended period during a heatwave.

Secondly, you shouldn't leave your vape inside your vehicle during a heatwave, according to expert Markus Lindblad from the vaping company Haypp (www.haypp.com/uk), this is because they have been known to explode when exposed to high temperatures, and not only is a car fire, of course, very dangerous, it would also be incredibly costly, as most likely your car insurance policy would not cover an incident like this.

"It’s always best to take a vape out of the car. If this is not possible, then it's advised to either park in a shady spot, or place it in the glove box out of direct sunlight. Vapes should be kept at room temperature, so any fluctuations or sudden temperature changes can damage the battery, causing a fire hazard," Markus said.

He added, "If you leave your vape in a hot car for a long period of time, then it’s important to cool the vape down safely by placing it in a cool dark place.

"Alternatively, wipe it down with a cold damp cloth and let it air dry. If your vape has overheated, do not, under any circumstances, place the vape in water to cool it down, as this could increase the risk of the battery exploding."

Another item you should remove from your car is sun cream. Letting this heat up could cause it to break down, meaning the next time you think you are protected from harmful UV rays, you actually find yourself exposed, and with nasty skin damage.

Medications can also degrade in high temperatures, meaning that they could be less effective - which could have serious consequences.

Markus has also explained to The Sunthat sunglasses can also become damaged if you leave them in the car, "When exposed to extreme temperatures, the heat can warp or even break the frame or the lenses, as well as cause the lenses to crack.

"To be safe, keep them in a case during the hot weather and in a cool, shaded place.”

Finally, electronics with batteries like mobile phones, laptops, or power banks could also pose a risk of fire - and you should always make sure you scoop these up and empty your car properly in a heatwave.

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