WITH more cold weather on the way, people in Worcestershire are being asked to look out for their elderly friends, relatives and neighbours.

Earlier this week the Met Office issued a cold weather warning for the West Midlands and other parts of the UK, predicting temperatures could drop by up to two degrees while ice and snow could become a problem.

Dr Angie Bone of Public Health England’s extreme events team said indoor temperatures should be kept at 18 degrees or higher.

“Cold does kill, even in places where the temperatures aren’t at their lowest,” she said.

“Most of our advice on keeping warm in cold weather may seem like common sense, but it’s important that we make the point that people should think about how cold can affect them.

She added keeping active was also a good way to ward off the cold.

“If you need to go out wear lots of thin layers and wear shoes with a good, slip-resistant grip to prevent any accidental falls,” she said.

“This is also a good time to think about how the bad weather may affect your friends and family, particularly if they are older or very young or have pre-existing health conditions.

“These groups can be particularly vulnerable to the ill-effects of cold so think now what you could do to help.”

Chief meteorologist at the Met Office Frank Saunders said temperatures would continue to drop throughout the weekend while frost and ice could become widespread.