DRINKING liquid so hot it is steaming and hurts to swallow has negative effects on the human body, shocked researchers have found. 

A six-year study into whether liquid that would scald skin if poured directly onto it could do any harm inside the body has discovered that it does, upending our understanding of hot liquids.

Nathan Muir of Hitchin said: “What? A cup of tea so hot I wince when it touches my lips is bad for me now? My God. And I never suspected.

“But according to this research, it ‘damages cells’ by a process called ‘burning’ – I’m not familiar with these medical terms – and increases the risk of oesophageal cancer. Wow.

“It goes on to say that drinking six or more cups of boiling hot tea raises the risk further, which I question. There doesn’t seem to me any link between a thing being bad for you and doing it repeatedly being worse for you. That’s conjecture.

“And all they’ve suggested is waiting until the tea is cooler? I can’t spend all day hanging around for drinks to cool. I’m a builder.”

The government is planning a multi-million awareness campaign starring Martin Clunes with the tagline ‘Cool it! Don’t let your cuppa char’ which the British public will completely ignore.