'Extreme' 88F heat causes bridge to swell, rails to buckle and GRITTERS are put on standby to stop roads cracking as Britons swelter on the hottest day of 2018 for third day in a row
- Britain could record hottest day of 2018 for third consecutive day today as temperatures near 90F (32C)
- Heatwave gripping UK causes huge wildfires, fears over train tracks buckling and a public health warning
- Met Office says heatwave could end on Sunday when spell of thundery weather could move into the South
- Rail providers have imposed speed restrictions amid fears train tracks will buckle in sweltering conditions
- Are YOU enjoying the scorching sunshine this week? Send your photographs to pictures@mailonline.co.uk
Britain has recorded its hottest day of the year for the third consecutive day as temperatures close in on 90F (32C), causing a bridge to swell and railway lines to buckle.
Gritters and emergency 'action teams' have been put on standby by transport bosses today amid fears that motorways and main roads will melt.
The record for the year was smashed this afternoon, with 89F (31.9C) registered in Portmadog in Wales, while at least 88F (30.8C) was set in Northern Ireland, making today the hottest day in the country's history.
The sweltering conditions even caused Barton Swing Bridge in Salford, Lancashire to expand, forcing firemen to douse the expanded metal frame in cold water for half an hour to get it to return to normal.
It comes as it was revealed a 17-year-old swimmer became the third person to die in open water yesterday, after the teenager got into difficulty in the River Aire in Leeds.
A woman drowned in the sea at Eastbourne and a man died in ice cold water in Merstham, Surrey, while this morning the search continued for Ryan Evans, 13, who was last seen struggling to swim in a lake in Stoke-on-Trent.
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Britain has recorded its hottest day of the year for the third consecutive day as temperatures close in on 90F (32C), with sunseekers rushing out to the country's beaches and parks (pictured: two women enjoy a dip in the sea at Bournemouth)
City workers enjoy hot weather in The Scoop next to City Hall. Dry and hot weather continues in Britain as temperatures are expected to reach 33C
The harbourmaster's pilot boat passing luxury houses on the Sandbanks Peninsula in Poole on a scorching day on the south coast
Lorna Tremayne admires the poppies and marigolds which light up a field at the Lost Garden of Heligan, Cornwall today
People walk along the edge at Warleigh Weir, near Claverton outside Bath, where the hot temperatures saw people rush to the country's green spaces
Hundreds of sunseekers had already arrived at Bournemouth's sandy beaches by 11am this morning, with temperatures reaching the highest levels of the year
Firemen were called to Barton Swing Bridge Salford late yesterday afternoon after the structure expanded in the searing heat and failed to return to its normal position after opening to allow vessels to pass along the Manchester Ship Canal.
The sweltering conditions even caused Barton Swing Bridge in Salford, Lancashire to expand, forcing firemen to douse the expanded metal frame in cold water for half an hour to get it to return to normal
Londoners enjoy hot weather in St James Park in Westminster. Dry and hot weather continues in Britain as temperatures are expected to reach 33C this week
City workers enjoy hot weather on Potters Fields near Tower Bridge, where the sun was beating down on those taking a sunny lunch break
Visitors flock to Bournemouth's long sandy beaches as Britain experiences the hottest day so far of 2018 for the third day in a row
The heat has been so intense that the record for the year was smashed as early as 11am this morning, with 88F (30.8C) registered (pictured are sunbathers in Bournemouth today)
Thousands of Londoners descended on Hyde Park this afternoon, with some opting to feed the swans (left) as others ventured across the green space by bike (right)
Sunbathers take a break from city life as they soak up the rays in St James' Park in Westminster, London, where the mercury is expected to peak at about 90F at some point over the week
This morning the search continued for Ryan Evans, 13, who was last seen struggling to swim at Westport Lake in Stoke-on-Trent (shown)
Commuters in London (pictured today) face a battle to get to work on time for the rest of the week, as rail providers imposed speed restrictions amid fears train tracks will buckle in the sweltering conditions
The British Army has been put on standby while firefighters tackle a four-mile belt of fire raging across Saddleworth Moor near Manchester, as a major incident was declared amid fears for nearby homes and residents.
Temperatures could make it as high as 91.4F (33C) later this week, although the Met Office said things could come crashing down on Sunday when there are indications that a spell of thundery weather could move into the South.
While thousands of people are flocking to beaches and parks to soak up the sunshine this week, the heatwave has led to misery for commuters after sending the road and rail network into meltdown.
Commuters face a battle to get to work on time for the rest of the week, as rail providers imposed speed restrictions amid fears train tracks will buckle in the sweltering conditions.
Network Rail has deployed 'extreme weather action teams' to monitor 'vulnerable locations' and passengers travelling through London's major transport hub at Waterloo have been warned they will face lengthy delays.
Services on the Waterloo to New Malden line are being subjected to speed restrictions from 11am each day until Friday, and the station concourse at Waterloo was even busier than usual last night as huge crowds built up.
People take to the wayers in an inflatable kayak to Warleigh Weir, near Claverton outside Bath, while others opt for a swim
Temperatures could make it as high as 91.4F (33C) later this week, although the Met Office said things could come crashing down on Sunday when there are indications that a spell of thundery weather could move into the South
Swimmers at Warleigh Weir, near Claverton outside Bath. The Met Office's heat-health watch alert is currently at level two, meaning social and healthcare services are at the ready to reduce harm from a potential heatwave
Horse riders enjoy the extremely hot weather in London's Hyde Park, which has been filled to the brim with sunseekers all week
Wildlife in Hyde Park are fed by two Londoners today as thousands of people flock to beaches and parks to soak up the sunshine
A group of youngsters from a nearby school are treated to a day out at Hyde Park inspecting the local wildlife and fauna
Network Rail said hot weather can cause the steel on rail lines to expand and in some cases buckle, causing travel disruption. Slower trains exert lower forces on the track, reducing the likelihood of buckling
The hottest day of the year record has been broken twice already this week. Yesterday, the mercury soared to 87.2F (30.7C) in Rostherne in Cheshire, beating Monday's high of 86.1F (30.1C) at St James's Park in London
Today is expected to be the hottest June day in Scotland and Northern Ireland for 23 years. Yesterday Tiree, an island on the Inner Hebrides, was the wettest place in the UK with just 0.008in (0.2mm) of precipitation.
Public Health England has issued a warning saying the extreme heat may pose a risk to the most vulnerable, while there are warnings to be careful near water and in the countryside, where fire crews were tackling wildfires.
But temperatures will have to soar far beyond expectations for today to be historically record breaking, with the mercury hitting 94.1F (34.5C) in London on June 21 last year, making it the hottest June day in the UK for 40 years.
In York, police smashed the window of a vehicle in a hospital car park to rescue two dogs from sweltering conditions inside. The heatwave has claimed two lives and forced schools to cancel sports days.
Commuters travelling through Cork Kent station in Ireland are treated to free bottles of water to keep those travelling on stuffy trains well hydrated
Engulfed: Photographs taken by air on Monday evening show the amount of smoke rising from the moorlands
Warning: One woman (pictured left) used a gas mask to go to the shops while a man made use of a scarf to protect his face
Police warned families to resist the temptation of swimming in open water as a search continued for missing 13-year-old Ryan Evans who is feared to have died while swimming in a lake in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
A man in his thirties died after getting into difficulty while swimming at a lake near Merstham, Surrey, while a woman also drowned at Eastbourne beach in East Sussex
Elsewhere the Grange School in Runcorn, Cheshire, cancelled its sports day which was due to take place for those aged five to seven this afternoon due to the 'extremely hot weather'.
The wildfire on Saddleworth Moor in Greater Manchester was declared a 'major incident' by the emergency services last night, with police describing it as the biggest in living memory as firefighers battled 20ft high flames.
Derbyshire firefighters reminded people that 'a stray cigarette, a discarded glass bottle, or a spark from a BBQ can all cause untold devastation', while crews in neighbouring Nottinghamshire dealt with grass and rubbish fires.
Parts of the UK are hotter than Athens in Greece, and on a par with Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and Rio in Brazil.
Paul Gundersen, Met Office chief meteorologist, said: 'We are anticipating that temperatures will increase further over the next couple of days and remain high by the weekend: it's possible that some locations could reach 32C.
A thick layer of mist hovers over the grounds of Chatsworth House in Derbyshire this morning (pictured). Britain could record its hottest day of the year for the third consecutive day as temperatures close in on 90F (32C)
'The focus for the highest temperatures is expected to shift towards the west of the UK into the middle of the week, and then northwest, before temperatures potentially begin to hot up again in the south over the weekend.'
But deputy chief meteorologist Dan Harris added: 'There is currently a high level of uncertainty in the forecast over the weekend; we are still several days away and the signals from the various models could easily switch back towards a more settled story in the south as we get closer to the time.
'Confidence is low, but there is an increasing chance that humid weather with thunderstorms could affect the south in particular, and perhaps more generally early next week, before a most probable return to fresher, more changeable weather.'
The Met Office's heat-health watch alert is currently at level two, meaning social and healthcare services are at the ready to reduce harm from a potential heatwave.
The RNLI has urged those heading to the seaside to seek out beaches with a lifeguard.
PHE said the over-65s, young children and those with health conditions are the most vulnerable in hot weather, and encouraged people to look out for each other.
Dr Thomas Waite of PHE said: 'It's vitally important that we keep an eye on friends, family and neighbours who may be at risk, and chances are we'll all know someone, if we're all going to stay well this summer.
Homeless people can also be vulnerable if exposed to strong sunshine and heat while sleeping rough, charity Evolve Housing + Support said.
Debra Ives, director of operations, said: 'A lot of people sleeping rough don't have the basic items needed to survive on the streets in hot temperatures.
'As a result, we're calling on the public to donate things like sun cream, water, and sun hats, to help those at risk in the coming months. People can either offer them directly, or donate them to a shelter or charity.'
Temperatures are set to rise, with a possible high of 91.4F (33C) on Thursday, meteorologist Alex Burkill said, soaring above the UK average for this time of year of 63.1F (17.3C).
The fine, hot weather looks set to continue into next month, he added.
'At the moment it looks like that will be the general theme through much of July,' he said. 'Generally it looks like it will stay drier and warmer than average.'
A misty morning in the Derbyshire countryside. Temperatures could make it as high as 91.4F (33C) later this week, although the Met Office said things could come crashing down on Sunday
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