VICTORIA Park had a surprise visit from a giant seagull yesterday.
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Sid the seagull from the Cancer Council helped raise awareness of new research suggesting parks and sporting venues poses the same risks of getting sunburnt as a day spent at the beach.
The news was released by the Cancer Council yesterday, in the middle of the National Skin Cancer Action Week.
Dubbo's Cancer Council community program co-ordinator Kate Maloney dressed up as Sid the seagull and said this week was about reminding people the "slip, slop, slap, seek and slide message doesn't just apply at the beach".
"A lot of people associate skin cancer risk and coastal living... but the risk in Western NSW is also quite high," Ms Maloney said.
"Although water, sand and snow are highly reflective areas people often forget the cement also is and increases the intensity of the sunlight.
"People also often confuse temperature and UV (ultraviolet) radiation - temperature is infrared and is not related to UV at all, therefore many people think they are safe on a cloudy day or cooler day when they are not," she said.
Ms Maloney said people enjoyed their summer activities but needed a balance between the love of the outdoors and protecting their skin, not just at the beach.
"The easiest way to protect yourself from harsh UV radiation is to not expose your skin to it between 11am and 3pm (during daylight saving) and 10am and 2pm (during non-daylight saving) months."
She said it is very easy to be dangerously exposed to the sun and people need to ensure they slip on sun protective clothing, slop on 30+ sunscreen, slap on a sun safe hat, seek shade and slide on a pair of sunglasses.
"Our skin can burn is as little as 15 minutes and our skin cells can start to be damaged," she said.