UK weather forecast: Britain hotter than Jamaica on warmest day of year as temperature soars to 34C

Councils urged to protect rough sleepers from sunstroke, as Network Rail warns passengers heat could push track temperatures above 50C

Britain recorded its hottest day of the year so far, as the country basked in the heatwave brought by an “enormous” bubble of warm air from the Sahara.

The mercury rose to 34C in Heathrow and other areas of west London on Saturday afternoon – soaring past the 33C highs experienced in the Caribbean island of Jamaica today.

However, the Met Office said temperatures had fallen short of the 35.6C record for June set in 1976.

Emergency services issued warnings to the public to take care in the sunshine, while councils have been urged to bring in measures to protect rough sleepers in the heatwave.

Travellers have been warned soaring temperatures could disrupt the rail and road network this weekend, with Network Rail warning that rails can flex, bend or even buckle in the heat.

It comes as police forces across Britain warn the public to stay away from waterways after four people died attempting to cool off from the conditions.

The body of a 12-year-old girl named by the Manchester Evening News as Shukri Yahya Abdi was pulled from the River Irwell in Bury.

Two men, aged 25 and 26, were recovered from the sea near Babbacombe Beach in Torquay. Another man died after being pulled from the water at Cornwall’s Prussia Cove.

Detective Inspector Andrew Naismith, of Greater Manchester Police, said: “With the warmer weather, it’s tempting to go into the water to cool off, but I’d like to remind everyone of the dangers of playing near or swimming in rivers, lakes and reservoirs and would strongly urge against this.”

Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said the most ferocious heat was seen on Saturday afternoon, “particularly the further south and east you go”.

Festival goers take shelter from the sun on the fourth day of Glastonbury Festival (Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

According to guidance produced by the charity Homeless Link, people sleeping rough will be at an increased risk of dehydration, sunburn and sunstroke, as councils were urged to provide free water and sunscreen.

Heather Wheeler, the minister for housing and homelessness, has written to local authorities encouraging them to trigger their Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (Swep) and offer extra support.

Travellers have been warned that soaring temperatures across the UK could bring disruption to the country’s rail and road network this weekend. Network Rail has advised passengers to plan ahead as hot weather could push track temperatures above 50C and slow operations.

Steel rails absorb heat easily and tend to hover about 20C above the surrounding air temperature, according to Network Rail. In very hot conditions rails can flex, bend or even buckle, so trains have to run at slower speeds.

The AA said that roads “soften around 27C”, as gritters were put on standby to spread fine gravel to absorb melted bitumen sticking to car wheels.

However, the Met Office put a yellow warning for lightning in place for parts of Northern Ireland and the west coast of Scotland, as well as a yellow warning for thunderstorms in northeast England and southeast Scotland.

A woman cools off in a water fountain in Marseille as heatwave hits France (Reuters)

The searing heatwave taking hold across Europe saw temperatures soar over 44C in some parts of the continent. Authorities in France have set up “cool rooms” in municipal buildings, opening pools for late-night swimming and installing extra drinking fountains.

Emergency services in Germany urged the public to look out for young children and the elderly, while authorities in the eastern state of Brandenburg have warned of the high risk of forest fires.

The UK’s heatwave is not expected to last much longer, however. A big change is forecast for Sunday on the back of westerly winds from the Atlantic Ocean, with sunny spells predicted to be interspersed with showers.