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Weather forecast: Parts of UK warned to stay out of sun during bank holiday heatwave

Parts of the UK have been warned to stay out of the sun this bank holiday weekend as Britain braces itself for a heatwave.

The Met Office has issued a level three alert - the second highest level - for the east of England, where temperatures are forecast to reach high levels between 9am on Saturday and 9am on Monday.

Much of the rest of England has a level two "be alert" warning, with it set to hit 33C (91.4F) in places over course of the three days.

Public Heath England advice, based on Met Office data, for a level three heatwave includes:

The warning comes as an estimated five million drivers hit the roads today for holidays and day trips, with traffic expected to be busiest after 11am.

Earlier, the Met Office had advised that widespread fog could cause problems during the Friday morning rush hour, with dense patches in southern England - including Plymouth and Oxfordshire.

London could see 26C (78.8F) today and Cardiff will be only a few degrees behind as the day develops - with the rest of the country also largely dry and sunny.

But Scotland will see some showers, particularly in northwestern parts.

Plenty of sunshine and temperatures in the mid-to-high 20s are expected on Saturday and Sunday, with southeastern parts of the UK potentially reaching 31C (87.8F).

By Monday, the country could be on track for record-breaking temperatures, with 33C (91.4F) possible in the South East of England.

The previous record for the UK's hottest August bank holiday weekend was set in 2001, when temperatures hit 31.5C (88.7F) at Heathrow airport.

More than two million Britons will be heading overseas during the long weekend.

Travel trade organisation ABTA said the most popular destinations include the Balearic islands, mainland Spain, Greece and Italy.

For those willing to go further afield on long-haul flights, New York, Toronto and Dubai are top of the list.

ABTA chief executive Mark Tanzer said: "The Mediterranean is currently experiencing some pleasant temperatures for people wishing to travel overseas, while those staying in the UK will be able to enjoy more settled conditions, with trips to the coast and countryside a popular choice.

"As with all bank holiday weekends, the roads and rail networks are likely to be particularly busy so if you are planning to travel, make sure you leave extra time to get to your place of departure and check your route in advance for engineering works if using public transport.

"If you are still looking to book a last-minute break or are planning a trip further ahead, there are good value holidays out there, particularly during the October half-term."

A total of 9.4 million trips are expected on UK roads on Friday and Saturday - and bank holiday Monday is expected to bring a further 3.7 million journeys.

Transportation analytics firm INRIX says some of the worst major roads for delays will include: