WITH the British weather being what it is, it's no wonder patio heater sales are surging as the barbecue season gets underway.

After all, why put up with the evening chill as you dine al fresco when you can pick up an artificial taste of the Mediterranean for less than £100.

But to think this was just a way of enjoying the summer evenings without resorting to your thermals was just too good to be true.

This week, outdoor heaters have come in for fierce criticism after it was revealed the extent of their effect on the environment - namely potentially producing the same volume of greenhouse gases as a speeding lorry.

Government Environment Minister Eliot Morley has pledged to nip the problem in the bud by flagging up the dangers and urging consumers to think twice.

"Patio heaters are a real luxury," he said. "At a time when we're struggling to combat climate change there has to be a question as to whether we really need things that heat up the outdoors."

After becoming popular in America, patio heaters have sold in their millions but, until now, Britain's main patrons have been restaurants and pubs.

However, with prices falling so low - with many retailing for less than £100 - domestic purchases have surged.

Stores such as B&Q sell a range of models, with some churning out 14 kilowatts - equivalent to five powerful electric fan heaters on full power.

Its best seller, which has sold out online, is the Sahara Big Burn Patio Heater, which is a snip at £131.34.

Alan Knight, head of social responsibility for the store, maintained the company prided itself on its ecological awareness but at the end of the day, business was business.

"If we don't sell them, our competitors will. Banning them would be a pointless gesture," he said.

Homebase, which has stores in Worcester's Hylton Road, Bath Road and Blackpole Retail Park, has also jumped on the bandwagon, offering at least 25 per cent off each off it's models, including the bargain table-top Nevada for £89.99.

The increasing fetish couldn't have come at a worse time for the Government, which is already struggling to cut greenhouse emissions.

Although it promised a 20 per cent cut in emissions compared with 1990, recent figures show they're actually rising.

Mr Morley's national campaign aims to persuade householders to cut greenhouses gas emissions by up to a third, using measures such as insulation, buying energy-efficient lightbulbs and appliances and reducing car use.

But, according to his research, a single patio heater, branded by the national branch of Friends of the Earth as an "ecological evil", would wipe out the benefit of such preventative action.

On the other hand, the Environment Agency described the impact of heaters compared with aviation and road transport as "relatively minor".

Richard Pannell, co-ordinator for Wyre Forest Friends of the Earth, agreed.

"They obviously contribute to global warming but, to put it into context, individuals should just be aware of their carbon footprint, that is, how much carbon dioxide they're responsible for.

"Patio heaters are a slight extravagance but, if someone uses one five weekends a year, it's not a grave concern.

"If people really want to be environmentally friendly, they should cut out their trip to the continent every year."