According to the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry (NICR), the past decade has seen number of people with skin cancer in Northern Ireland increase by three folds.

The figures indicate over exposure of skin to damaging UV rays from sun bathing and using sunbeds.

Now concerned over public health, experts will meet on Wednesday in Lisburn to talk over the increasing rates and how to control the public's use of sunbeds.

NCIR figures showed 259 cases in 2006.

The U. S. EPA is now promoting the "Sun Wise" program to make a pitch for skin cancer prevention and the Friday before Memorial Day has been dubbed "Don't Fry Day."

According to Professor Roy Waters, the Chair of COMARE (Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment) sunbed sub-group, it is the spread of awareness and urgency that is required in UK.

He said, "The publicity and the public awareness of the dangers of associated with exposure to solar UV, albeit from the sun or from sunbeds is not well described in the UK."