No place like home when the sun shines - enjoy it safely

After what has been a long, cold winter, the weekend saw people everywhere making the most of the warmer temperatures and cloudless skies. Derry, Buncrana, Portrush and elsewhere resembled the height of summer as the shorts and sunglasses came out for the first time this year.

But with the sunshine came three timely warnings from various different agencies, all of which bear repeating as we move through spring into summer. The first involved sunscreen.

Ireland has worrying high rates of skin cancer and among the highest melanoma mortality rates in Europe.

Skin cancer is now the most common cancer diagnosed in Ireland, north and south. So slapping on a bit of Factor 30 or 50 and donning a hat or cap could prove life-saving.

The second involved safety around water. Parts of our coastline and other waterways in the north west are treacherous with hidden currents making for treacherous and potentially life-threatening conditions.

And while the weather may feel warm at the minute, the authorities have advised that water temperatures are still very cold, which also presents dangers for casual dippers.

We also have had the first of the gorse fires of 2025 over the past week. Advice includes never light open fires in the countryside, never leave barbecues unattended and make sure they are fully extinguished after use, never throw cigarettes out the car window or onto the ground.

By taking onboard these simple steps, we can all enjoy this and any future spells of fine weather in the knowledge we are keeping ourselves, our families and our environment safe from harm.