People in Oxfordshire are being warned to brace themselves for some of the hottest July temperatures ever as the mercury is set to rise to a scorching 37C tomorrow.

The last major heatwave in the UK in 2003 was blamed for the deaths of around 2,000 Britons and people are being urged to take extra precautions in the heat - especially the elderly.

The Met Office is saying that Oxfordshire will bear the brunt of the blistering temperatures today and tomorrow.

People are being told to drink plenty of water, wear sunscreen and to keep an eye on elderly relatives.

Motorists are also being urged to take plenty of drinking water in case they are caught up in traffic jams and not to leave pets in cars.

So far, it appears people are heeding advice about the weather. Out of 200 people admitted to Accident and Emergency at the John Radcliffe hospital in the 24 hours up until 7pm last night, only one person received treatment for dehydration.

Finmere Primary School, in Finmere, near Bicester, postponed its sports day because of the heat yesterday.

And the sports day at Marcham Primary School, near Abingdon, has been brought forward to this morning to keep children out of the midday sun.

Parent Ruth Atkins said: "It is a sensible decision to bring it forward to the morning, and hopefully now the children will have a lot of fun away from the dangerous early afternoon heat."

Met Office spokesman Wayne Elliott said: "The elderly in particular need to stay out of the heat, drink plenty of fluids and make sure their homes are properly ventilated.

"This can make all the difference and stop them spiralling into a decline that can lead to them being hospitalised.

"Oxfordshire is in the firing line for some very hot weather and people should wear sunscreen when they go out, and not risk being stuck in their cars if they can avoid making a journey."

The highest temperature recorded in the UK was 38.5C at Faversham in Kent on August 10, 2003.

That year, 2000 people died in Britain, as a direct result of the heat - 85 per cent of them were over the age of 75.

In Oxfordshire, the heatwave of 2003 was blamed for a dramatic rise in emergency calls as people dialled 999 after getting caught out by the heat, not just the elderly but people playing sports too.

This week, Oxfordshire is expected to swelter under temperatures of at least 37C, with predictions that a record-beating 39C could be recorded in the South East.

Dr James Goodwin, head of research at Help the Aged, urged people in Oxfordshire to keep a close eye on elderly relatives and neighbours.

He said: "Even healthy older people need to be aware of the risks imposed by spells of hot weather.

"As we age, we're less able to deal with heat because we sweat less and are less able to regulate our body temperature, especially if there's no opportunity to cool down.

"It's vital to eat well to maintain salt intake and to drink lots of water. Prolonged exposure to heat can raise the risk of heart attacks and strokes."

The reason for the heatwave is a prolonged period of very settled weather, with cloudless skies and strong sunshine which has allowed temperatures to rise.

Over the coming days even hotter air will move across from continental Europe causing the temperature to rise even further.

Oxfordshire County Council has flagged up a NHS heatwave warning on its website, advising people not to go out in the hottest parts of the day and to drink plenty of fluids.

Experts are also reminding members of the public that skin cancer is the second most common cancer in the UK.

For advice on the best ways to beat the heat, visit www.nhs- direct.nhs.uk