WHILE the opportunity to be working and top up their tan is too good to miss for many convertible company car drivers, a leading cancer charity is urging them to be mindful of the harmful effects of the sun’s rays.

Cancer Research has launched a ‘Sun Smart’ campaign in association with motoring website evecars.com to remind drivers – and women in particular – to take precautions in the balmy weather.

Lesley Jones, evecars.com editor, said: ‘We’re all so desperate to jump in our convertibles at this time of year that we forget that sun protection is an absolute must, even on a cloudy day. British women love their open-top driving and we hope they are ‘Sun Smart’ enough to know they should use a high protection cream, wear good quality sunglasses and a hat.’

Cancer Research claims there are more than 73,000 new cases of skin cancer every year in the UK – and around 1,800 deaths as a result.