Heatwave leaves supermarket shelves empty as shoppers race to buy water and ice cream

Shopping spree comes as new record set for hottest-ever temperature

The UK’s heatwave has emptied out supermarket shelves as shoppers snap up water and ice-cream in the scorching weather.

The country has been hit by days of extreme heat, with its hottest-ever temperature - 40.3C - recorded on Tuesday.

And according to images of bare supermarket shelves, it seems like Britons are doing all they can to stay cool in the exceptionally hot weather.

Shoppers have come across empty sections where bottled water normally is during the heatwave, which was forecast to peak on Monday and Tuesday.

A number posted social media, saying they had turned up to supermarkets to find water gone or very little left.

Empty water shelves were seen at Tesco in Clevedon as the UK prepared for another day of hot weathe (Tom Wren SWNS)

Other images show freezers cleared of ice creams and other frozen products as Britons battled the heatwave.

Supermarkets reported a jump in ice cream and lolly sales last week even before temperatures went on to soar even further. This includes Iceland, who broke their record on Saturday.

Water companies are also experiencing “unprecedented peak demand” in the extreme heat, according to an industry body which has warned the public to “carefully consider” their water usage in the high temperatures.

Empty ice and ice-cream shelves were seen at a Lidl in Somerset (Tom Wren SWNS)

The UK has declared a national heatwave emergency for the first time, which warns fit and healthy people could be at risk of illness or even death over the extreme temperatures and impacts would likely extend beyond the health sector.

The climate crisis is making heatwaves more extreme, frequent and likely. Experts have warn the UK needs to adapt homes, hospitals, schools and transport networks to a future of more searing heat.