Temperatures Hit 2015 Record As UK Swelters

The highest temperature for the year was recorded in West London on Tuesday as Britain was warned to prepare for for the mercury to soar even higher on Wednesday.

30.4C was recorded at Northolt and Kew Gardens, according to the Met Office. It could be 35C in London on Wednesday.

Vulnerable groups have been urged to stay as cool as possible with Dr Angie Bone, of Public Health England, warning lives could be at risk.

"It is possible that we will see an excess mortality but it is too early to tell.

"We know that high temperatures do have an impact on health, particularly on older people and young children and people with chronic diseases."

Meanwhile, First Great Western cancelled several trains from London Paddington after Network Rail imposed speed restrictions to protect points where rails could buckle in the heat.

A spokesman for the company said the speed restrictions were affecting trains between Paddington and Bourne End or Henley On Thames until 8pm.

"As rails are made out of steel, they expand as they heat up and are subject to strong compression," Network Rail said on its website.

"This expansion has to be managed to reduce the risk of track buckling.

"If the track does buckle, the line must be closed and the track repaired before services can resume, causing considerable disruption.

"Usually, these repairs can't be done until the temperature of the rails has dropped.

"If a section of track is judged to be at risk, we introduce local speed restrictions - slower trains exert lower forces on the track and reduce the chance of buckling."

Travellers were also told they should carry sunscreen and water during their journey.

Sky News Weather Producer Jo Robinson said: "Southerly winds on Tuesday will bring that tropical continental air-mass to much of the UK and Ireland, with temperatures peaking on Wednesday.

"Central and south-east England will see the highest temperatures with 35C (95F) possible in or around London."

The heat could also see the use of Wimbledon's 'heat rule' for only the third time in the history of the tennis tournament.

The rule allows a 10-minute break between the second and third sets of matches if temperatures are higher than 30.1C - something that has only happened twice to date: in 2006 and 2009.

This only applies to women, however, as part of the Women's Tennis Association guidelines. The Association of Tennis Professionals has no equivalent rule for men.