Environment

Heatwave in England

Health warnings have been issued as heatwave conditions are reached in London and the South East. The Met Office issued a "Level 3" warning on the hottest day of the year, with temperatures hitting 32C (89.6F) at Northolt, west London. Level 3 is one notch below the most serious warning in the Met Office's heat-health watch system. The warning alerts healthcare services to help those in high-risk groups such as the elderly and young children.

Two similar heatwave warnings were issued last week in Yorkshire and the Humber, and in south-west England after road surfaces melted and tracks buckled in the heat.

Doctors in Wales say the number of people suffering sunstroke, sunburn and heatwave-related injuries is stretching hospital emergency departments. In north-east England it was 28C, in Wales 30C and in London 32C. The night-time trigger temperatures vary from 15C to 18C.