DRUNK patients are turning up at hospitals amid the heatwave that has swept across the country.

East Lancashire Hospitals Trust chiefs said its urgent care centre and A&E have seen a number of heat-related attendances.

These include patients attending with dehydration due to lack of fluids or excessive alcohol intake in the heat.

But the trust said it had not seen any increase in patients with sunburn attending its hospitals.

The trust has two urgent care centres, one at at Burnley General Hospital, and the other at Royal Blackburn Hospital, which also has an A&E.

Dr Neil Prater, clinical director for emergency medicine at the trust said: “At our urgent care Centres and emergency department, the current impact of the hot weather means we are seeing a number of patients attending with dehydration due to lack of fluids or excessive alcohol intake in the heat.

"We haven’t seen any increase in patients attending with sunburn.

Dr Prater warned people to drink plenty of fluids and stay out of the sun where possible.

He also said that people should check on elderly relatives or neighbours to make sure they are drinking enough water and staying well, while residents can visit their pharmacist or phone NHS 111 for advice.

He said: “It is really important that people drink plenty of fluids in this weather to ensure they stay well hydrated and stay out of the sun where possible.

"People should also check on elderly relatives or neighbours to make sure they are drinking enough fluids and staying well.

"You can also visit your local pharmacist who can offer advice and medication or telephone NHS 111 free of charge," he added.

Temperatures reached 28C in Blackburn and Burnley on Tuesday, with highs of 27C in Accrington and Clitheroe, although temperatures have started to fall yesterday and into today.

The warning comes after hospitals in East Lancashire endured their busiest day ever on Monday, July 8.

It saw 738 people visit the trust's A&E, urgent care centres and two minor injury units, an 18 per cent rise in attendances from a normal Monday.