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Britain Basks In Hottest July Day On Record

Britain has experienced its hottest day of the decade today, with parts of the UK warmer than Barcelona and Athens.

Temperatures hit 36.7C (98.06F) at Heathrow Airport - the hottest recorded for nine years and the highest July temperature ever recorded.

Most of Britain saw temperatures of between 30C (86F) and 33C (91.4F) and the beach weather will continue into the weekend, although Thursday will be slightly cooler.

:: How Hot Are You? Find Out Britain's Top Temperatures

But Britons may also need to dig out their brollies, with thundery spells predicted for some areas later in the week.

A level-three heatwave alert has been issued by the Met Office - one level below a national emergency.

Public Health England (PHE) warned there could be an increase in illness and deaths, and advised people to try and stay out of the sun between 11am and 3pm.

The organisation also called on the public to look out for the elderly, young children and those with serious illnesses.

Network Rail was forced to cancel or delay some journeys on Tuesday amid fears tracks could buckle in the heat.

There were reports that some roads began to melt due to the heat.

An AA spokesman said: "The AA are receiving anecdotal reports from patrols that show that in places the road surface is softening, but there are no widespread problems at the moment.

"But if this continues we could start to see that. There was a man who put the stand down on his motorbike and it sank into the tarmac.

"The roads are soft in places. We have been very, very busy today."

Meanwhile, motoring group RAC said the number of accidents surged by 92% as a result of Tuesday's hot weather.

Bottled water has been given to lorry drivers stuck in tailbacks on the M20 in Kent, which has been caused by striking ferry workers who have closed the Port of Calais.

Water has also been handed out to passengers at Greater Anglia stations, including Ipswich and Norwich.

But it is not all bad news for commuters, with PHE recommending flexibility from employers.

Dr Angie Bone said: "During very hot weather, pregnant women and people who have chronic illnesses, including cardiovascular, respiratory, renal conditions, diabetes or Parkinson's disease, may experience discomfort if indoor temperatures are particularly hot and in using public transport.

"Employers should ensure indoor areas are kept cool and consider allowing these individuals to travel to or from their place of work during cooler, or less busy times of the day."

The heatwave is being caused by a warm front and tropical continental air mass from Europe.