Slough Borough Council have issued advice to cope during the freezing conditions that are forecast.

A level three alert will be in place throughout 31 January and through to 1 February. Snow has been forecast throughout the evening and into the early hours of Friday morning.

Cold weather can be dangerous, especially for young children, over 65s, low income families and people living with disabilities and medical conditions.

The Council’s public health team have issued the following advice about keeping safe and warm and how to look after yourself and others:

• Heat your home to at least 18°C (65°F). You may prefer your main living room to be slightly warmer. Keep your bedroom window closed on a winter’s night. Breathing in cold air can increase the risk of chest infections.

• Don’t delay in getting treatment for minor winter ailments like colds or sore throats - visit your local pharmacist for advice on treatment before it gets worse so you can recover more quickly.

• Layer your clothing whether you are indoors or outside - wrap a scarf around your mouth to protect your lungs from the cold air.

• Wear shoes with a good grip if you need to go outside.

• When you’re indoors, try not to sit still for more than an hour or so. Get up, stretch your legs and make yourself a warm drink.

• Put several layers of clothing on children; make sure their head, neck and hands are covered. If they then get warm, they can take one layer off at a time. Dress babies and young children in one more layer than an adult would wear.

• In drier winter air everyone loses more water through their breath. Keep drinking and try warm drinks and soup for extra appeal.

• Food is a vital source of energy and helps to keep your body warm so have plenty of hot food and drinks and stock up on tinned and frozen foods, so you don’t have to go out too much when it’s cold or icy.

• Draw your curtains at dusk to help keep heat generated inside your rooms.

Cabinet member for health and social care, Councillor Natasa Pantelic, said: “Prolonged periods of cold weather can be dangerous to people’s health, especially for young children, the elderly and those with chronic diseases.

“As we get older it takes us longer to warm up and this raises the risk of increased blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. This makes it particularly important that our older and more vulnerable residents stay warm and take care of themselves.”