HOUSEHOLDERS and business owners in Dorset are using so much electricity during the heatwave that demand on the grid is as high as it would be on a cold winter's day.

The surge in energy use across the county is mainly due to firms keeping their staff and computers cool in record-breaking temperatures.

The extra demand on the system is especially high in commercial centres including Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth where employers are helping to keep their staff cool by cranking up air conditioning systems or hiring climate control systems.

Overheated residents are also adding to demand with an increasing number of homes benefiting from air conditioning units and electric fans to keep the temperature down.

Computers are also prone to "heat stroke" so a lot of energy is being used to cool down PCs and central servers.

Southern Electric's Director of Distribution John Morea said: "We get very accurate weather forecasts and know how high temperatures affect the level of demand for electricity.

"So we're well prepared for the increase in power use. However, we wouldn't normally see demand this high until October at the earliest when people turn up their heating and use more lighting."