Britain is enduring what is forecast to be its hottest day ever today with temperatures expected to hit 102F (39C) amid health warnings, melting pavements and major train disruption on what is being dubbed 'Tropical Thursday'.
A rambler collapsed in the heat in Dorset, surfaces melted in Grimsby and Londoners faced searing heat on the Tube with the high humidity expected to make temperatures feel like 109F (43C) in the South East this afternoon.
Temperatures hit 100.6F (38.1C) in Cambridge at 3.30pm - making it the warmest July day on record and the second hottest day in UK history behind the 101.3F (38.5C) in August 2003 - with the mercury still set to rise.
East Midlands Trains urged passengers 'do not travel', while Thameslink said 'you are strongly advised not to travel', after the heat caused damage to overhead electric wires between London St Pancras and Luton. In Greater Manchester, firefighters hosed down Barton swing bridge in Salford to avoid it buckling in the heat.
Hundreds of thousands of commuters who use Southeastern, Greater Anglia, Southern, Gatwick Express, London North Eastern, West Midlands and Great Northern trains also faced delays, cancellations and overcrowding today.
Police were called after scuffles broke out at the Brockwell and Parliament Hill lidos in London as hundreds of people tried to get in, while food was removed from the shelves of a Sainsbury's in Bolton after its fridges broke.
As hundreds of thousands of people sunbathed in beaches and parks, fan sales rose 200 per cent at some stores and bosses at Madame Tussauds Blackpool had to move waxworks out of direct sunlight to avoid them melting.
 |
Police warned people over swimming in the heatwave after three men drowned and another was reported missing, while racing at Southwell was abandoned with two races remaining due to the 'extreme temperatures'.
A reduced service is operating on commuter train routes and between London and Scotland, with trains running as slowly as 20mph to protect the tracks. Rail operators said delays could last well into this evening.
The heat was all too much for some men, who took off their shirts as they rode public transport. One shirtless man was seen working on his laptop on an air-conditioned train from London King's Cross to Ely in Cambridgeshire.
The heat also affected mainland Europe, with Paris recording its hottest day ever as temperatures topped 109F (42.6C) - smashing a 70-year-old record - while Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands also set all-time records.
Tonight, the Met Office has issued a warning for thunderstorms in the east of the country including 1.2in (30mm) of rain in less than an hour plus frequent lightning, hail and gusty winds from 3pm today until early tomorrow.
Track workers free passengers from a train on which they became trapped and ferry them to another as the temperatures in Britain soar
Police had to be called to an outdoor swimming pool after hordes of overheating Londoners tried to force their way in. Around 500 people tried to storm Brockwell Lido in South East London during the heat.
Tempers flared around midday when waiting times topped three hours. The Metropolitan Police said: 'Police were called to Brockwell Lido to reports of overcrowding.
'Officers attended. Security staff at the lido have closed the doors as a group of 500 people are trying to get in. The owners of the venue are advising people not to come as there is a three-hour waiting time.'
Gauri Kangai posted a picture of the fracas on Twitter with the words 'No City for Keeping Cool'. She added: 'Raises (questions) about design in cities for extreme climate instances like today.'
There were similar scenes elsewhere in the capital - with Parliament Hill Lido forced to refuse further entry just before noon due to overcrowding.
Police were repeatedly forced to attend the pool after fights broke out in the queue, and eventually the Met decided to leave an officer effectively on guard to prevent any more disruption.
Sainsbury's in Bolton in Greater Manchester, where chilled foods and drinks had to be removed from shelves and fridges closed down after equipment stopped working due to the severe heat today
The force said: 'Officers were first called to the venue at 9.49am when a number of minor scuffles broke out as swimmers queued to enter the lido. Further incidents of disorder broke out throughout the day.'
The force said: 'Officers were first called to the venue at 9.49am when a number of minor scuffles broke out as swimmers queued to enter the lido. Further incidents of disorder broke out throughout the day.'
A spokesman said there had been no arrests or any reported injuries, but added: 'Police remain in attendance to prevent a breach of the peace.'
Fire crews cool down the Barton swing bridge in Salford, Greater Manchester, to stop it buckling this afternoon
Pigs were protected by factor 30 suncream at Stonehurst Family Farm in Mountsorrel, Leicester, amid the heat today
No comments:
Post a Comment