POLICE have warned South West England is "full to capacity" as staycation crowds have led to a surge of emergency calls.
There has been "unprecedented demand" for emergency services in Devon and Cornwall during this week's scorching heatwave.
Cops received 2,301 emergency calls last weekend – a 25.6 per cent jump compared to the same time last year.
Many of the calls were related to anti-social behaviour, with a 67 per cent increase in cases compared to 2019.
Of the calls relating to anti-social behaviour, 102 were "drink-related" and 191 were related to people being a "nuisance".
Assistant Chief Constable Jim Colwell from Devon and Cornwall Police said cops had been forced to attend a "plethora of different incidents".
He said tourists to the area should "think" before they travel.
"Book your accommodation before you travel, drive safely on our roads, respect our coasts and drink responsibly," he said.
"If you are visiting the many outstanding areas of natural beauty we have, take your rubbish away and play your part in making Devon and Cornwall a safe place for our residents and tourists alike."
THOUSANDS OF 999 CALLS
Devon and Cornwall Police had received 9,622 calls this month so far, making for 962 per day.
This is up from the average of 718.
ACC Colwell said the numbers were "unacceptably high".
Crowds have flocked to beaches in the South West as Brits swelter through another 36C scorcher.
The Met Office said temperatures had reached 34.6C in central London – marking the first time since 1961 that there had been six consecutive days of 34C and above.
Met Office Meteorologist John Griffiths warms the heatwave – which is unusually long running in comparison to what the UK normally experiences – is here to stay.
The daily high temperature comes with a thunderstorm warning – although the Met Office say the rainfall has been sparse and does little to lower the temperatures.
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Mr Griffiths explains that the short storms seen today add to the already humid weather, and that Brits should brave for another “uncomfortable night of sleeping” in sticky, 20C temperatures.
Campsite bookings across the UK have surged after frantic Brits opt for a British holiday this summer due to the coronavirus pandemic, leading to many selling out.
Along with limited capacity due to social distancing rules, camping grounds at popular hotspots including Cornwall and Devon are fully booked for the summer.
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