Traditionally the May Day Bank Holiday heralds the coming of summer. But warm weather means more sunshine and that brings a growing hazard - skin cancer.

The sunny May Day Bank Holiday has seen the start of two new initiatives aimed at making us more aware of the dangers of this potential killer and how to avoid them.

More than 1,300 people in Kent and Medway were diagnosed with melanoma, the most serious kind of skin cancer, in 2005, the latest figure.

Sun Awareness Week, followed by a summer-long sun awareness campaign, has been launched by the British Association of Dermatologists after a survey revealed that one out of two people would not recognise signs of possible skin cancer.

And Teenage Cancer Trust has launched a campaign called Shunburn, to educate teenagers on how to behave sensibly in the sun after discovering that many teens are happy to sunbathe today and worry about the consequences later in life.

How to spot the danger signs>>>

Dr Catriona Irvine, Clinical Lead at East Kent Hospitals Dermatology Centre in Canterbury, said: “Skin cancer is the commonest of all cancers in the UK. It is the fastest growing cancer and can be very serious. Early detection can save lives. It can be prevented. It is important to be aware of the dangers of Ultraviolet Light and to be safe in the sun.”

Teenage Cancer Trust is launching a summer campaign, Shunburn, to educate teenagers on how to behave sensibly in the sun.

A free text alert service for teenagers has been set up as part of the Teenage Cancer Trust campaign.

Text messages will be sent on hot days, giving useful sun safety tips, including reminders to wear sun cream and cover up and giving teens ten per cent off sun cream at Superdrug, the campaign’s partner.