Spain sweltering amid hottest pre-summer heatwave in at least 20 years

Spain has been basking in the hottest pre-summer heatwave in at least 20 years.

A cloud of hot air coming from North Africa has raised temperatures to as high as 45°C and the suffocating heatwave could last in most of Spain until June 15.

And it's not just during the day, with overnight temps reaching a low of 24 degrees.

In Seville, carriage drivers had to cool horses down with water so they could continue taking tourists around the southern city.

Spain's meteorological office says heatwaves are becoming more frequent, and that global warming means the country's summer begins 20 to 40 days earlier than it did 50 years ago.