Sweltering sun set to last as Severn Trent warns against hosepipes
The region has been basking in the hottest June for 40 years – and temperatures are still set to match those in Portugal by the end of the weekend.
Some roads have begun to melt, train tracks have reached temperatures of 49C (120.2F) and a hosepipe ban is set to come into force as the UK basks in the heatwave.
The first hosepipe ban is likely to come into place in Northern Ireland this weekend, with plenty more hot sunshine forecast for the coming days.
Tomorrow is predicted to reach a sweltering 25C (77F) in the Black Country, with Sunday soaring to a baking 26C (78.8F).
But while most of us are having fun in the sun, Severn Trent is urging its customers to try their best to save water while temperatures are high.
The water company has released new figures showing demand for water is significantly up.
Its eight million-or-so customers used tens of millions more litres of water on Sunday than on an average day, with demand up around 11 per cent on the start of June.
The demand saw water supplies dry up in parts of Stafford and much of Telford as air locks caused problems in Severn Trent's network.
It has been more than 20 years since the company last had a hosepipe ban in place – and while the company is confident it has enough supply to meet demand, it is still encouraging customers to save what they can.
Doug Clarke at Severn Trent said: “The hot weather’s due to carry on through the week and water usage is at its peak so it is the perfect time to swat up on some simple water saving tips.
“So, when watering plants, use a watering can rather than a hose, and don’t worry about your lawn because it’ll bounce back once it starts raining again so you can put the sprinkler away.
“To put things into perspective, a sprinkler can use as much as 1,000 litres of drinking water in just one hour – which is more water than a family of four would normally use in a whole day."
Hot hot hot
Britons enjoyed the hottest temperature of the year for the fourth day in a row on Thursday as the mercury soared to 33C (91.4F) in Porthmadog in Wales.
While temperatures appear to have peaked for now, they will remain high into the weekend and early next week.
Saturday could see 29C (84.2F) in England and Scotland, 27C (80.6F) in Northern Ireland and Wales, and predicted highs of around 31C (87.8F) in some parts of the UK by Monday.
Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said: “We are going to see a continuation of the current warm spell but the temperatures over the next few days are not likely to be the warmest of the year so far.
“I think for now temperatures have peaked and we are not expecting to see any records today.
“We will begin to have a slightly fresher feel, bringing the temperatures down, not by much, by one or two degrees.”
Gritters used to protect roads from heatwave
The heatwave has led to the unusual sight of gritters being used in the summer.
They are normally deployed during cold snaps to stop road surfaces from freezing, but a number of councils are using the vehicles to spread crushed rock dust as temperatures soar.
Some roads have become so hot that they have started to melt and stick to tyres.
Crushed rock particles are being spread by councils to create a non-stick layer between roads and vehicles.
Local authorities in Cumbria, Lancashire, Doncaster and Hampshire are among those using gritters this week.
Motorists have been advised to use warm soapy water to wash sticky tar from their vehicles.
Danger warnings
Public Health England issued a warning saying the extreme heat may pose a risk to the most vulnerable.
The rising temperatures have also come with warnings to be careful near water and in the countryside, where fire crews have been tackling wildfires.
The heat has already claimed casualties.
The family of 13-year-old Ryan Evans, whose body was recovered on Wednesday, two days after he got into difficulty at Westport Lake in Stoke-on-Trent, warned of the dangers of playing and swimming in open water.
They said: “We just cannot emphasis enough the dangers of swimming in open water, especially where young children are concerned.
“Our message is simple, please don’t do it.”
A 17-year-old boy was found dead in the River Aire in Leeds in the early hours of Wednesday morning following a search and rescue operation.
It is believed he got into difficulties while swimming on Tuesday evening.
The body of a man was also recovered from a lake in Nutfield, Surrey, on Monday.
