Scots are literally frying themselves in the sun by using moisturiser, baby oil and even chip fat instead of protective cream, researchers warn.

Scots are literally frying themselves in the sun by using moisturiser, baby oil and even chip fat instead of protective cream, researchers warn.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) said Scotland's failure to embrace sun block was the reason the country had the highest levels of skin cancer anywhere in the UK.

One in five Scots polled owned up to "binge tanning" and four out of 10 admitted they had experimented with their own versions of sun lotions, including cooking oil and standard moisturiser.

The YouGov survey of more than 1000 people in Scotland found that four out of 10 had experienced blistered or peeling skin after spending too long in the sun.

Laura Wilson of the RPSGB said: "This is a serious issue. I'm worried that people still think the warnings about the sun do not apply to them.

"In Scotland we have higher rates of melanoma than in Australia.

"Scots tend to think they do not need to use sun creams at home but people must respect the sun at all times and make sure they use a recommended sun protection cream."

To avoid the risk of skin cancer, Ms Wilson advised that people should use a cream with a minimum protection factor of 15 and stay in the shade where possible.

The advice follows some of the hottest weather of the summer so far in recent days, with temperatures soaring to 28C.

Edinburgh was hotter than Corfu and Rome, which struggled to push the mercury reading past 26C.

However, forecasters predict the scorching weather of recent days will give way to cooler air and showers.