The Met Office has issued a warning to anyone who suffers from asthma as pollen levels across the country are set to climb at the start of the week.
Pollen counts are reaching very high levels in Bristol tomorrow (April 17) and will continue to remain elevated for the first half of the week.
The Met Office said that tree pollen levels are currently high as a result of recent mild weather with particles from birch, plane, willow, ash and a little oak proliferating in the southwest along with fungal spores pleospora, which is in peak season, aspergillus and penicillium.
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High pollen levels can cause misery for hay fever sufferers. Although reactions to grass pollen are more common, allergies to tree pollen affect around 25 per cent of people.
Honor Criswick, a Met Office meteorologist, said: “If you are an asthma sufferer who suffers from tree pollen, then care needs to be taken.”
Charity Asthma + Lung UK also warned of the risk of deadly asthma attacks due to high pollen levels, which could leave sufferers fighting for breath.
She said: "If pollen is causing your lung condition to get worse, it's important you get help so you can get on top of symptoms before they get more serious."
As pollen levels go up, earlier this month, a study found that six in ten hay fever sufferers are having to deal with severe symptoms – including facial pain (19%), earache (18%), and even losing their sense of smell (22%).
Common symptoms of the allergy include frequent sneezing (66%), a blocked nose (67%), and red, itchy, or watery eyes (68%)
And three in ten (29%) have taken days off work due to the severity of their symptoms, while the same number have cancelled plans with family or friends, and 16% have even bailed on a date due to hay fever.
But despite 70% of the 1,500 hay fever sufferers polled saying they dread the effects of the seasonal allergy, a quarter claim they have been accused of “making it up” – by those who don't experience symptoms.
One in five (19%) feel that those who don't have hay fever are unsympathetic to their ailments.
And 79% have been told by someone fortunate enough to not have experienced the allergy that it is not a good enough reason to not show up to something.
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