How to treat hay fever as UK 'pollen bomb' inbound following sunny April heatwave

On Sunday, London and the south east saw pollen levels hit the “very high” category, and that’s expected to last through Tuesday before easing slightly, according to the Met Office.

Other parts of England, including the South and the Yorkshire and Humber region, are also facing high pollen levels. By Thursday, most of the country is expected to see pollen levels return to “high”.

The warning comes as warm weather continues in parts of England. Saturday was the hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures hitting 24 degrees Celsius. People headed to beaches and parks to enjoy the sunshine, though the heatwave is expected to fade next week.

The Met Office confirmed temperatures reached 24 degrees Celsius in Northolt, northwest London, on Saturday afternoon. An expert told the BBC that birch pollen season began earlier this month and has already hit high levels.

“Birch is the tree pollen that most people are allergic to,” said Dr Fiona Symon, experimental officer in respiratory sciences at the University of Leicester. “The sun's been out, it's been warm and we've had a breeze to move the pollen around. So it's been perfect weather for trees for pollinating, but not so much for hay fever sufferers.

“The warm weather has influenced the level of pollen released. We've seen high to very high levels of birch pollen right from the start of the pollen release rather than a more gentle build-up."

There is no permanent cure for hay fever, but plenty of treatments and home remedies to help ease some of the symptoms.

Pharmacy treatments are easily the most effective counter to hey fever. Antihistamines in particular are the best for help with sneezing, runny noses and itchy eyes, and are available in both pharmacies and supermarkets alike.

Eye drops, nasal corticosteroids and congestion sprays can also help people who suffer from hay fever, depending on which symptoms they are suffering from.

As for home remedies, these can be used in tandem with pharmaceutical options. Things like local honey can build up your tolerance to pollen, while showering can help clean the pollen from your skin and hair.