The art of making tea is high on the list of desirable skills...

We're not here to start that eternal debate again. We're not going to discuss whether the milk goes in first or second. For the record, milk goes in second and if you think any differently, you're an uncivilised animal. But, the purpose of this article is to discuss the temperature at which you consume your tea, and indeed other kinds of beverages. The World Health Organisation has been warning that consuming drinks hotter than 65 degrees will increase your chances of getting oesophageal cancer. Results from their study show this increased risk of getting oesophageal cancer is down to the temperature of the drink rather than the contents. But, this risk is increased if you smoke and drink alcohol. Dr Christopher Wild, director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, said: "These results suggest that drinking very hot beverages is one probable cause of oesophageal cancer and that it is the temperature, rather than the drinks themselves, that appears to be responsible." The findings from WHO appear to back studies which found that the perfect temperature to drink coffee is between 48 and 65 degrees and that tea should be enjoyed at a similar temperature. Just don't put the milk in first...