Eating tomatoes 'keeps you safe in the sun'

Eating five tomatoes a day could help protect against sunburn and premature ageing, new research has revealed.

Experts at Manchester and Newcastle Universities found the fruit improved the skin's ability to protect itself against ultra-violet light.

The researchers calculated that the protection offered by eating tomatoes was comparable to applying factor 1.3 sunscreen.

The team is now hoping to carry out more research to find out if eating tomatoes can protect against more severe forms of sun-damage such as skin cancer.