Study warns longer hay fever season

Hay fever sufferers in Ayrshire and across the UK may face longer periods of symptoms, according to new research linking climate change to extended pollen seasons. A study published in The Lancet Public Health found that pollen seasons are now lasting up to two weeks longer than they did in the 1990s.

The research highlights earlier flowering of allergenic trees such as birch and alder, increasing exposure to pollen. Experts say the findings underline the growing impact of climate change on health, with millions of people affected by hay fever each year.