Historic heatwave: Over 40C in the UK

Unprecedented heat across the UK has led to temperatures hitting 40C for the first time ever.

A new all-time record of 40.3C was recorded in Lincolnshire (Coningsby and Waddington), shattering the previous by nearly 2C.

Prior to midday we saw temperatures soar to 39.1C at Charlwood in Surrey. Since then, temperatures climbed to 40C, with several places around London and, unusually far north, in Lincolnshire exceeding this.

Around 30 weather stations broke the previous record of 38.7C.

Scotland also obliterated their all-time record with 34.8C at Charterhall, in the Scottish Borders, surpassing 32.9C from August 2003.

Wales broke their previous record for two days running, with their maximum of 37.1C hit yesterday.

Similarly for Ireland, yesterday Phoenix Park in Dublin reached their highest temperature in 135 years. Northern Ireland was just 0.2C shy of breaking their all-time record yesterday with 31.1C.