Early start to hayfever misery

The only relief for hayfever sufferers is that the sore eyes and sneezing are normally confined to the summer months.

But recent unseasonably warm temperatures have heralded the allergy's arrival earlier than ever before.

Although the weather has turned cooler in the last few days, experts have found trees and other plants shedding pollen weeks early.

London hayfever sufferers do not usually stock up on remedies in earnest until the beginning of May, but pharmacies are reporting a 30 per cent increase in sales each week in the last month.

Muriel Simmonds, chief executive of medical-charity Allergy UK, said there is definite evidence hayfever is already returning this year. "Many sufferers in London think they won't be affected because they are in the city and not near any grass," she added. "They are often surprised when they get the symptoms, but it depends what they are allergic to.

"There are a lot of plane trees in London. They don't usually release their pollen until May but the warm weather has brought the trees out early, which means a pretty miserable-time for people allergic to their pollen. We have noticed the season starting earlier for the last three or four years - we have even moved National Allergy Week from June to May because of it - but this is the earliest I've ever seen it in London."

Scientists say global warming has caused trees and grasses to flower sooner and for longer, creating more pollen. Tree pollen is the main cause of hayfever early in the season while grass pollen, which is responsible for 90 per cent of hayfever in the UK, traditionally begins in June, though warm weather can cause it to begin much earlier.

Dr Tim Sparks from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology said: "Spring is coming much earlier than it has historically. This March had the most sunshine of any on record. This will really move events forward and trees will be coming into leaf earlier.

"Anyone allergic to tree pollen will be feeling hayfever symptoms."

Priscilla Paradise, a spokeswoman for Boots Healthcare, said staff have noticed customers with the symptoms. "We have seen a 30 per cent week-on-week increase in sales of hayfever products in the last month. The hayfever season is definitely under way.

"The warm sunny weather means people have been spending more time outside than they usually would at this time of year, so they have been experiencing symptoms earlier."

Unfortunately for sufferers, the early start to the hayfever season does not mean an early end to the misery. Dr Sparks said: "For some plants, this early spring will mean they will be in flower for longer. People with hayfever face an extended period of suffering, beginning now."