Former The Only Way Is Essex star Lydia Bright has hit out at the ‘mad’ decision to close some schools due to weather despite the Met Office issuing a red weather warning
Lydia Bright has divided her followers with her bold claims about the nation’s current heatwave. As the temperatures soar to record levels, thousands of schools have been closed to protect teachers and students from the intense weather.
But while many have welcomed the decision, the former TOWIE star, 35, has called it “madness”, claiming that it is “just as hot at home”.
Experts have warned that some of the nation’s classrooms may become unsafe due to the extreme temperatures. They also said the pupils would be at an increased risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Despite the advice, Lydia doesn’t see the seriousness and expressed her concerns on social media. The reality star, who is mum to six-year-old Loretta, posted on her Instagram stories saying: “Am I the only one who thinks this is madness?
“At 7.15pm on Monday night, I received an email to say the school would be closing at 1pm on Tuesday and now today and Thursday because of the heat. I’m struggling to get my head around it. Children all over the world sit in classrooms in these temperatures every day, without air conditioning.
“Our children happily spend entire days on holiday in this heat and when we collect them at 1pm we’re taking them home to houses that are exactly the same temperature.”
She went on: “Maybe I’m missing something? I’m currently overseas trying to rearrange plans for Loretta and I know I won’t be the only working parent trying to move schedules and commitments. It feels like we’re solving one problem by creating another for hundreds of working families.”
In the UK, many school buildings are not designed to cope with prolonged high temperatures – a large proportion lack air conditioning and classrooms are prone to overheating.
One commenter argued the case. Responding to Lydia, they said: “I don’t think it’s quite as straightforward as this. School isn’t the same as children sitting at home during the holidays.
“They’re expected to concentrate, learn, cope with noise, demands and busy classrooms for six hours. Many adults are struggling to think clearly and function in this heat, so it’s not surprising that some children struggle too.”
While the closures are dividing the public, the Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning. The label warns of a risk to life as the soaring temperatures continue.
As well as schools, there has been travel disruption and service restrictions in place across parts of the country. With temperatures already high, the heatwave is only set to get hotter, a leading forecaster has said.
It is claimed temperatures will be feeling more like 50C in some parts of the country tomorrow. British Weather Services’ senior meteorologist Jim Dale told the Mirror: “It could well be worse on Thursday – we’re in the middle of the Sizzler from the South.
“We’ve got the heat dome in position now, and as the south west front starts to move into the cooler air, you start to drag in more hot air from France and Spain – and eventually North Africa – so all of that starts to add to the hot weather pie.
“This is the important bit; the humidity. The heat index, which is a combination of temperature and humidity, temperature and humidity, could well be 10C more than the actual air temperature. So when we say 40C, if it ever reaches that, it will feel like 50C, and that’s why there’s going to be a problem.”
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