Météo France: Trop chaud pour les chemises alors que les passagers du métro de Londres se déshabillent

Les passagers masculins du train sont torse nu dans le but de faire face aux températures brûlantes alors que la Grande-Bretagne était prise par une vague de chaleur.

Les navetteurs se déshabillent jusqu'à la taille du métro de Londres et des réseaux ferroviaires à travers le pays alors qu'ils font face à des trajets pénibles chez eux par temps de cuisson.

La chaleur était de trop pour certains hommes, qui ont enlevé leurs chemises en roulant dans les transports publics.

Un homme torse nu a été vu en train de travailler sur son ordinateur portable dans un train climatisé de London King's Cross à Ely dans le Cambridgeshire tandis qu'un autre a essayé de se refroidir sur le tube avec son téléphone posé sur sa poitrine.

D'autres ont été vus marchant à moitié nus dans le centre de Londres sur le chemin du travail alors que la capitale souffrait du flétrissement des températures.

Un autre Londonien a essayé de battre les rayons du soleil en créant sa propre plage au milieu du pont de Blackfriars en s'asseyant sur une chaise longue avec un tas de sable à ses pieds tout en portant un chapeau parapluie.

La Grande-Bretagne a subi sa deuxième journée la plus chaude de tous les temps avec le mercure atteignant 99,9 ° F (37,7 ° C) au milieu des avertissements sanitaires, de la fonte des trottoirs et des perturbations majeures des trains sur ce qui est surnommé le «  jeudi tropical ''.

Les températures ont atteint 100,6 ° F (38,1 ° C) à Cambridge à 15h30, ce qui en fait la journée de juillet la plus chaude jamais enregistrée et le deuxième jour le plus chaud de l'histoire du Royaume-Uni derrière le 101,3 ° F (38,5 ° C) en août 2003 – avec le mercure qui devrait encore augmenter.

Un incendie s'est déclaré près des voies de la ligne principale de Londres à Luton cet après-midi après que la montée des températures aurait provoqué une surchauffe des câbles.

Un rambler s'est effondré dans la chaleur dans le Dorset, les surfaces fondues à Grimsby et les Londoniens ont été confrontés à une chaleur brûlante sur le tube avec une humidité élevée qui devrait faire sentir les températures à 109F (43C) dans le sud-est cet après-midi.

East Midlands Trains a exhorté les passagers à «ne pas voyager», tandis que Thameslink a déclaré «il est fortement déconseillé de voyager», après que la chaleur a endommagé les fils électriques aériens entre Londres St Pancras et Luton. Dans le Grand Manchester, les pompiers ont arrosé le pont tournant de Barton à Salford pour éviter qu'il ne flambe sous la chaleur.

Des centaines de milliers de navetteurs utilisant les trains du sud-est, de la Grande-Anglie, du Sud, du Gatwick Express, de Londres du nord-est, des West Midlands et du Grand Nord ont également subi des retards, des annulations et un surpeuplement aujourd'hui. La ligne principale de la côte ouest du Grand Manchester ainsi que d'autres services du comté sont confrontés à des perturbations majeures.

La police a été appelée après que des échauffourées ont éclaté dans les lidos de Brockwell et de la colline du Parlement à Londres alors que des centaines de personnes tentaient de rentrer, tandis que la nourriture a été retirée des étagères d'un Sainsbury's à Bolton après que ses réfrigérateurs se sont brisés.

Alors que des centaines de milliers de personnes se faisaient bronzer sur les plages et les parcs, les ventes de fans ont augmenté de 200% dans certains magasins et les patrons de Madame Tussauds Blackpool ont dû déplacer les ateliers de cire à l'abri de la lumière directe du soleil pour éviter qu'ils ne fondent.

La police a averti les gens de nager dans la vague de chaleur après que trois hommes se sont noyés et qu'un autre a été porté disparu, alors que la course à Southwell a été abandonnée avec deux courses restantes en raison des «  températures extrêmes ''.

Un service réduit fonctionne sur les itinéraires des trains de banlieue et entre Londres et l'Écosse, avec des trains qui roulent aussi lentement que 20 mph pour protéger les voies. Les opérateurs ferroviaires ont déclaré que les retards pourraient durer jusque tard dans la soirée.

La chaleur a également affecté l'Europe continentale, Paris enregistrant sa journée la plus chaude de tous les temps alors que les températures ont dépassé 109F (42,6C) – battant un record vieux de 70 ans – tandis que l'Allemagne, la Belgique et les Pays-Bas ont également établi des records absolus.

Ce soir, le Met Office a émis un avertissement pour les orages dans l'est du pays, y compris 1,2 pouces (30 mm) de pluie en moins d'une heure, plus des éclairs fréquents, de la grêle et des vents en rafales de 15 heures aujourd'hui à tôt demain.

Les prévisionnistes ont averti que les inondations et les éclairs pourraient affecter les conditions de conduite, perturber les services ferroviaires et entraîner des coupures de courant, bien que les températures devraient devenir beaucoup plus fraîches à partir de demain.

Il y a ensuite un autre avertissement de fortes pluies dans le nord de l'Angleterre et le sud de l'Écosse de 12h samedi à 15h dimanche, avec jusqu'à 4,7 pouces (120 mm) attendus sur les Pennines et les North York Moors plus un risque d'inondation.

La police a dû être appelée dans une piscine extérieure après que des hordes de Londoniens en surchauffe aient tenté de forcer leur chemin. Environ 500 personnes ont tenté de prendre d'assaut Brockwell Lido dans le sud-est de Londres pendant la chaleur.

Les esprits ont explosé vers midi lorsque les temps d'attente ont dépassé trois heures. La police métropolitaine a déclaré: «La police a été appelée à Brockwell Lido pour faire état de surpopulation.

«Des officiers étaient présents. Le personnel de sécurité du lido a fermé les portes alors qu'un groupe de 500 personnes essayait d'entrer. Les propriétaires de la salle conseillent aux gens de ne pas venir car il y a un temps d'attente de trois heures.

Gauri Kangai a publié une photo des fracas sur Twitter avec les mots «Pas de ville pour rester au frais». Elle a ajouté: "soulève (questions) sur la conception dans les villes pour les instances climatiques extrêmes comme aujourd'hui."

Il y avait des scènes similaires ailleurs dans la capitale – avec la colline du Parlement Lido forcé de refuser une nouvelle entrée juste avant midi en raison de la surpopulation.

La police a été forcée à plusieurs reprises de se rendre à la piscine après que des combats ont éclaté dans la file d'attente, et finalement le Met a décidé de laisser un officier effectivement en garde pour éviter toute perturbation.

La force a déclaré: «  Les officiers ont été appelés pour la première fois sur le site à 9h49 lorsque plusieurs échauffourées mineures ont éclaté alors que les nageurs faisaient la queue pour entrer dans le lido. D'autres incidents de désordre ont éclaté tout au long de la journée.

Un porte-parole a déclaré qu'il n'y avait eu aucune arrestation ni aucune blessure signalée, mais a ajouté: "La police reste présente pour empêcher une violation de la paix".

À Bristol, Portishead Lido a averti ceux qui espéraient se rafraîchir de longues files d'attente. Le personnel a tweeté: «  Soyez prêt pour une longue attente, et il n'y a pas d'ombre. Apportez de l'eau, des collations, des chaises pliantes, de la crème solaire, un chapeau et un peu de patience et d'humour.

Lidos à Peterborough, Tooting Bec à Londres et à Hemsley à York ont ​​également été contraints de refuser des nageurs déçus après avoir atteint la capacité.

À Bristol, une conduite d'eau éclatée a laissé des centaines de maisons dans les zones de Speedwell, Eastville, Fishponds et Horfield sans eau aujourd'hui, les ingénieurs disant qu'ils travaillent «  le plus rapidement possible '' pour rétablir l'approvisionnement.

Un porte-parole de Bristol Water a déclaré: «  Le temps étant aussi chaud que par le passé, nous obtenons des mouvements au sol. Il est très probable que les mouvements du sol ont entraîné une augmentation et une diminution de la friction des tuyaux et, malheureusement, ils ont éclaté.

Cela vient alors que l'Agence pour l'environnement a déclaré que des drones espions seraient utilisés pour la première fois cet été pour attraper des agriculteurs tricheurs qui retirent trop d'eau des rivières pour creuser leurs cultures desséchées.

Certaines personnes ont utilisé des ventilateurs électriques pour faire face à la chaleur, les ventes de Currys PC World ayant augmenté de 200% et John Lewis déclarant en avoir vendu six par minute.

Et Aldi a vendu sa piscine de jardin de 12 pieds seulement 10 jours après sa mise en vente pour 89,99 £. La piscine circulaire Intex Metal Frame Pool peut contenir 7 199 litres d'eau, mais elle n'était plus disponible à l'achat sur son site Web.

Le magasin du budget vend également des flotteurs de piscine gonflables géants pour flamants roses pour 19,99 £ et un toboggan pour 12,99 £.

Les patrons de Madame Tussauds Blackpool ont déclaré qu'ils avaient éloigné les figures de cire d'Ariana Grande et de Freddie Mercury de la lumière directe du soleil et des fenêtres pour les garder au frais dans la chaleur intense.

Certaines parties du London Overground ont été suspendues en raison de restrictions de vitesse liées à la chaleur, tandis qu'une panne de points près de Potters Bar et une erreur de signalisation près d'East Croydon ont perturbé davantage les navetteurs ce matin.

Le London Northwestern Railway et le West Midlands Railway ont conseillé aux passagers de ne pas commencer de nouveaux voyages car les températures élevées perturbent ses services vers Londres et dans les West Midlands. A voir aussi : Conseils pratiques pour choisir le vin pour votre prochain événement: Augusta Free Press.

Un porte-parole des opérateurs a déclaré: «Nous sommes désolés de devoir émettre ce conseil. Nous ne prenons pas ces décisions très souvent et nous ne les prenons pas à la légère.

«Face à de multiples incidents liés à la chaleur sur notre réseau, la responsabilité est de se concentrer sur les personnes qui voyagent déjà. Nous ferons tout notre possible pour ramener les gens à la maison ce soir.

Les températures torrides ont endommagé les câbles électriques aériens entre London St Pancras et Luton, bloquant toutes les lignes. Cela affecte les trains East Midlands et les services Thameslink.

East Midlands Trains a publié un message sur Twitter exhortant les passagers à "NE PAS VOYAGER" et a averti qu'il n'avait pas pu garantir l'acceptation des billets via d'autres itinéraires.

Thameslink a déclaré: «il est fortement déconseillé de voyager» et les durées de trajet seront prolongées jusqu'à 90 minutes.

Les fils électriques aériens entre London Euston et Watford Junction ont également été endommagés par la chaleur, perturbant les services de Virgin Trains.

Un porte-parole de l'opérateur a déclaré: «  En raison de graves perturbations du réseau aujourd'hui, tous les clients de Virgin Trains qui préfèrent différer leur voyage peuvent utiliser leurs billets sur les services de Virgin Trains demain. Un remboursement complet sera disponible pour ceux qui choisissent de ne pas voyager.

Nick King, directeur des services réseau chez Network Rail, a déclaré: «Nous avons un certain nombre d'incidents liés à la chaleur sur le réseau ferroviaire ce soir qui perturbent les services.

«Nous sommes désolés que certains passagers connaissent des conditions inconfortables et des désagréments. Nos équipes travaillent d'arrache-pied pour résoudre les problèmes le plus rapidement possible et faire bouger les gens.

"Nous demandons à tous ceux qui voyagent ce soir de vérifier auprès de leurs opérateurs ferroviaires ou de visiter le site Web de National Rail Inquiries pour voir comment leur voyage est affecté."

Les organisations d'automobiles ont averti que la chaleur torride pourrait faire fondre les routes comme du chocolat, ce qui nécessiterait d'appeler les gritters.

Aujourd'hui a battu le record de température établi hier pour le jour le plus chaud de 2019, alors que l'Essex a atteint 93,8 F (34,3 C).

Certaines parties de l'Angleterre ont connu une «  nuit tropicale '' du jour au lendemain, car les températures n'ont pas chuté en dessous de 20C (68F), a déclaré le Met Office. Norfolk a vu un minimum de nuit 69.6F (20.9C), alors qu'il était 69.3F (20.7C) à Londres.

Les navetteurs sur les lignes Central et Bakerloo du métro de Londres ce matin ont fait des températures au moins égales à 89,1 F (31,7 C), affirmant qu'ils «sont traités comme des animaux».

L'employé du NHS Jimmy Lyons, 38 ans, du nord de Londres, se rendait au travail sur la Central Line ce matin.

Il a déclaré: «  Il n'y a toujours pas de climatisation appropriée de nos jours et je veux que l'argent soit investi. Je viens de rentrer d'Amérique – s'il n'y avait pas de climatisation appropriée, ils poursuivraient. Les animaux ne sont même pas transportés dans cette chaleur.

Annie Parker, 45 ans, une analyste de données expatriée britannique à Oman qui travaille régulièrement à Londres, a déclaré qu'elle avait raté les trains dans le pays du Moyen-Orient.

Voyageant sur la ligne Central en short et en débardeur, elle a déclaré: «Hier, sur la ligne Jubilee, c'était horrible. Londres est l'une des plus grandes villes du monde et nous avons le métro ici depuis très longtemps, mais il n'y a jamais eu d'investissement.

«Nous ne sommes tout simplement pas considérés comme une priorité suffisamment élevée. À Oman, c'est pire à l'extérieur mais c'est mieux à l'intérieur. Il y a de l'air conditionné partout et les tubes là-bas ne sont pas seulement AC mais aussi des odeurs rafraîchissantes. C'est ainsi qu'ils combattent les odeurs corporelles et cela les rend plus agréables et tout le monde est propre – vous n'appréciez pas tant que vous ne les avez pas.

L'avocate stagiaire Emma Holder, 25 ans, paie 7 £ par jour pour se rendre de Finsbury Park au nord de Londres.

Elle a déclaré: «  C'est certainement le pire moment de ma journée. Je pense que nous sommes traités comme des animaux – tous les jours, un de mes amis dira sur notre chat WhatsApp que c'est ridicule.

«  Il fait chaud et ce n'est pas acceptable car il coûte vraiment cher d'obtenir le Tube et lorsque vous payez un certain montant, vous vous attendez à ce que ce soit un service décent. Je ne comprends pas pourquoi les autres villes qui ont le métro ont un service décent.

Paul Fletcher, 67 ans, de Holland Park, a déclaré: «Je pense que nous sommes traités comme des animaux. J'utilise la ligne centrale presque tous les jours – c'est vraiment un service vraiment horrible. Je pense qu'ils sont un cauchemar. Ils doivent faire des investissements et de la climatisation.

Il fait suite à des orages dramatiques qui ont frappé de vastes régions du Royaume-Uni mardi soir, avec des images spectaculaires montrant des éclairs illuminant le ciel nocturne. Il y aurait eu environ 48 000 coups de foudre.

Plusieurs bâtiments ont été endommagés et des centaines de maisons à Norfolk ont ​​été privées d'électricité.

Le Met Office a émis un avertissement pour de nouveaux orages ce soir, couvrant l'est du pays de 15 heures jusqu'à demain matin.

It forecast temperatures of 37C (98F) but said there is a 70 per cent chance the UK record of 38.5C (101F) will be broken.

That was set in Kent during the heatwave of August 2003 in which more than 2,000 people died.

Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said:'It will get into the 30s across the country and reach the mid-30s in the South East.

'If it is to get to 39C, it will happen somewhere between London and Cambridge. Temperatures locally could also break July or all-time records.'

Health professionals warned that the elderly and those with heart and respiratory problems are again at risk. Hospitals are expected to face extra pressure as cases of dehydration soar.

Councils urged people to check on vulnerable friends and family, while parents are advised to take extra care to keep babies and young children cool.

Pets and zoo animals are also at risk. Monkeys were given ice lollies containing carrots, sweet potato and honey to keep them cool at Longleat Safari Park.

Police issued a warning about swimming during the heatwave after three men drowned and another was reported missing. The first man drowned at Cotswold Water Park in Gloucestershire on Tuesday.

Divers then recovered the body of a 23-year-old from the River Thames at Shadwell Basin and a 47-year-old further along the river at Kingston yesterday, while the search continues for a man last seen in the water at Waterloo Bridge on Tuesday.

The UK was hit by thunderstorms overnight on Tuesday, with a series of images showing lightning illuminating the night sky.

One video caught the moment a bolt of lightning struck a chimney in Bristol, creating a fireball.

Paul Krekelaar was filming out his window around 1am and saw a small explosion over a neighbour's house.

A huge bang could be heard as the lightning struck the chimney and burst into flames.

Roofs were also set alight in Cheshire and Nottingham while stunning images captured the moment lightning struck the 17th century Grade I-listed Chesterton Windmill near Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.

The heatwave has been caused by what is known as an 'omega block', where high-pressure blocks and diverts the jet stream, allowing hot air to flow up from northern Africa. It follows another heatwave in June.

Met Office spokesman Oli Claydon said: 'There's a very large area of high pressure over eastern Europe and up into Scandinavia.

'That's combined with a jet stream that has taken a bit of a downturn to the south across the Atlantic, then shooting up north to the west of the UK.

'That combination of the jet stream and the high pressure is working to funnel up the warm air from the continent which has its source origins in North Africa.'

There was a similar scene across much of Europe. The Netherlands and Belgium recorded their highest ever temperatures yesterday of 102F (39.1C) and 102F (38.9C).

Southeastern, which operates trains in Kent and parts of East Sussex, said it would be running a 'significantly reduced service' due to speed restrictions imposed by Network Rail amid fears tracks are at risk of buckling.

Extreme weather action teams (EWATs) have been 'activated' to keep passengers safe and trains running, Network Rail said.

The Rail Delivery Group, which represents the industry, advised passengers in London and the South East to consider changing their travel plans on Thursday owing to the heat.

London North Eastern Railway, which runs inter-city services on the East Coast Main Line, is advising customers against travelling today.

It said some services were likely to be cancelled or delayed as speed restrictions will be imposed between Peterborough and London King's Cross.

Those making long car journeys cannot rely on the radio for company – FM and AM radio signals can be disrupted in hot weather because signals from local stations can travel further and cause interference outside their usual range.

The Met Office has warned heatwaves are on the increase as a result of climate change.

It is even possible the mercury could climb to 104F (40C), which would be 'unprecedented' for the UK climate, weather forecasters said.

The scorching temperatures gripping the UK and much of Europe come against a backdrop of global warming of 1C since the Industrial Revolution driven by greenhouse gas emissions, forecasters added.

Professor Peter Stott, from the Met Office, said: 'There's no doubt that climate change is playing a role here because of the elevated temperatures and that's related to the fact we've got this weather pattern being drawn up from North Africa.'

That part of the world has warmed by double the global average, while continental areas are warming faster than over the sea.

So when the UK shares weather patterns with places that are warming fast, it is 'pushing us into temperatures that are unprecedented, pushing us into those ranges that we have never seen before or are very, very infrequent', he said.

He added that the existing record temperature for the UK, of 38.5C, set in August 2003 in Faversham, Kent, was set in recent times when the impact of climate change was already being felt.

And it is not just the UK, with heatwaves seen across the northern hemisphere both this summer and last.

The east coast of America has recently been in the grip of a heatwave and much of Europe is seeing records broken at the moment, while last year, Europe and Japan saw sweltering summer conditions.

'Having this frequency of heatwaves across the hemisphere would have been extraordinarily unlikely without climate change, and it's now being made a possibility, and it's what we're seeing,' Professor Stott said.

A study from the Met Office previously showed last year's summer heatwave was made around 30 times more likely than it would be under natural conditions as a result of human activity driving global warming.

Dr Michael Byrne, from Oxford University, said that if Thursday becomes the hottest day on record in the UK it would be 'hugely significant', but just the latest in a 'torrent' of temperature records being broken in the last month.

'Not only has 2019 brought the world its hottest ever June, but in recent days countries from Belgium to the Netherlands to Germany have broken their all-time heat records. It has never been hotter in northern Europe.

'Such extreme heat poses serious health risks this week as well as uncomfortable questions about how well the UK is preparing for increasingly frequent and severe heatwaves over coming decades.'

The Government's advisory Committee on Climate Change has warned the UK is not prepared for the increase in heatwaves that is expected with global warming.

The extreme temperatures are also expected to put pressure on hospitals.

Analysis of admissions due to dehydration found that when temperatures hit 87.8F (31C), admissions rose by 22.7 per cent amongst the general population, and 33.3 per cent for the elderly.

An extra two degrees hotter, and admissions rise by 127 per cent amongst the general population and 150 per cent for the elderly, research by Draper & Dash found.

The weather has led to uncomfortable, restless nights for many, while there has also been a surge in the number of people looking up symptoms of heat-related illnesses on the NHS website.

Dr Nick Scriven, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said NHS staff were 'struggling' as 'few lessons had been learned' from last year's heatwaves and few hospitals are prepared for the impact of intense heat.

He said 'overheated and exhausted staff' are at greater risk of making errors.

Last year, hospitals hired in large fans and coolers for a week or so but have got nothing long-term in place – they are purely reactive not proactive.

'Some better organisations bought in lots of bottled water and gave it to staff or brought round cooled drinks. To get drinks, staff would usually need to leave the ward to buy them.

'There is often nothing or very little in place for staff to get fluids on wards on an ad-hoc basis and they are expected only to drink in breaks which isn't right when temperature on wards are really high.

'Patient areas don't have coolers or ice machines due to infection concerns.'

The Lullaby Trust, which works to raise awareness of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) also known as Cot Death, issued advice for parents to keep their babies safe and cool this summer.

It warned that babies who get too hot are at an increased risk of SIDS and said the ideal temperature of a baby's room should be 61F (16C) to 68F (20C).

As the country sizzled, Labour led calls for workers to be protected from stiflingly hot temperatures, with legal safeguards to help them stay cool.

Under plans revealed by the party, if a workplace reaches 86F (30C), or 80.6F (27C) for those doing strenuous work, employers will have to put in place effective controls.

Current guidance only referring to a minimum working temperature but not an upper limit.

The capital's first purpose-built swimming lake in Beckenham, South East London, was forced to close after just five days after council chiefs were overwhelmed by the numbers who turned up.

Coral said it was odds-on at 1-2 for the UK's hottest ever temperature to be recorded today.

Spokesman John Hill said: 'In what is certain to be sweltering conditions, the odds have been cut on 40C or higher being recorded, while we are being bombarded with bets on this being the hottest summer ever in the UK.'

Meanwhile, the owner of Magnum, Carte d'or and Ben & Jerry's has admitted ice cream sales took a hit in spring and early summer this year due to the cooler weather.

Unilever, which also owns brands including Hellmans and Dove, said the previous two summers had started positively, but this year – particularly in May – the weather had been far too cool.

Chief financial officer Graeme Pitkethly said: 'There were a number of swings and roundabouts. It seems ironic with record temperatures (today) but during the period it was quite negative with strong early summers before.'

** Email your photographs of the hot weather to pictures@mailonline.co.uk or tell us your stories by emailing mark.duell@mailonline.co.uk or calling 020 3615 1838 **

'They don't deserve dogs': Warning to pet owners after two animals are trapped in roasting-hot cars during blistering heatwave

Police have been forced to smash their way into people's cars to free dogs trapped in the scorching heat.

Officers spotted one poorly pooch left inside a car in Plymouth city centre for three hours yesterday afternoon.

Left yelping on his own during the hottest hours of the day between 2pm and 4pm, locals were appalled the pet had been left locked inside the vehicle.

The dog bounded out as soon as he was freed, relieved to be in the cooler air, while his owners were less pleased as they returned to find their windows smashed.

In Leeds yesterday shoppers in Sainsbury's were asked which customer had left their dog stuck in a car as officers threatened to break their way in.

An announcement was made over the tannoy at Sainsbury's in Colton Retail Park after police spotted the dog trapped inside with the window only slightly ajar.

Sgt Micklethwaite on Twitter: 'In the space of less than 10 minutes the dog was starting to pant / overheat. Just don't do it.'

While it is not illegal to leave an animal unattended, if the heat of the car causes it to die or become unwell, owners could be prosecuted for animal cruelty.

Charles Cross Policing Team said of yesterday's incident in Plymouth: 'Another dog left in the sun, another window smashed!

'This little guy was alone for over 3 hours. If you love your furry friends, please THINK. He was very happy to be set free! #DogsDieInHotCars'

Fellow dog owners in the area were outraged, claiming the owners 'don't deserve dogs' and the images 'broke their hearts.

One person wrote: 'Well done who made the call, well done officers, STUPID human who left that lovely dog in this vehicle.'

Another commented: 'This breaks my heart, I get so angry why do people do this ?!!! They don't deserve dogs !'

Someone else posted on Twitter: 'It's bad enough when people take their dogs out when it's this hot, but leaving them in the car?! They should be banned from keeping animals full stop.'

PCSO Tracy Cunningham said the family got back to their car just as it was due to be taken away.

She said: 'They weren't happy with us because their window was put in.'

The owners were spoken to via an intrepter over the phone, who explained why the police have the power to free dogs who could risk perishing in the heat.

The dog was checked over by the RSPCA and is now with a vet.

Dogs Trust says on a 71.6F (22C) day, the temperature inside a car could rise by 11C in just 10 minutes and because dogs cannot cool down the same way as humans, the heat can quickly become dangerous for them.

Earlier this week an American Bulldog Finlay was left fighting for his life after his body temperature soared to a life-threatening 42.2C (108F) during recent hot weather.

The one-year-old – who was born with three legs – became overheated when his owner took him to a park in Glasgow.

The charity has advised not walking dogs at the hottest times of the day. But it said early morning or later in the evening walks are best accompanied with water.

It has also said tarmac can get 'very hot in the sun' and advises owners 'to check it with their hand before letting dogs walk on it so they don't burn their paws'.

Other tips that have been given are avoiding long car journeys, using a sun blind for shade, avoiding congested roads as much as possible and taking regular breaks and having plenty of water on board.

Dogs Trust veterinary director, Paula Boyden, said: 'There are so many things we can do to make sure our dogs stay happy and healthy in hot weather, but it is crucial we keep a close eye on them, even if we are playing indoors.

'If we all do this, then hopefully we and our dogs will be able to enjoy a long hot summer.'

'Welcome to HELL!': Britons complain it's 'hotter than the sun' as nation wilts in blistering heatwave

Twitter went into meltdown this morning as commuters suffered scorching temperatures inside packed train carriages after a sleepless night tossing and turning in the heat.

Britain could reach its hottest ever today with record-breaking temperatures of 102.2F (39C) expected in London and the south east.

As the UK prepares for a heatwave, people are taking to social media to share their fear of the unbearable temperatures due today and over the weekend.

Commuters in London moaned the Underground is 'hotter than hell', as rail operators slow and cancel services to stop trains buckling in the heat.

Here MailOnline compares some of the most hilarious 'meltdown' memes as Britain bakes in the stifling heat.

The hottest day in Paris EVER: Northern France, Belgium and Holland all swelter in record hottest days as temperatures top 109F causing trains to grind to a halt, nuclear stations to power down and fears for Notre Dame

Paris recorded its hottest day ever today as temperatures topped 109F (42.6C) – smashing a 70-year-old record by almost 35 degrees.

Trains were slowed to avoid overheating while people bathed in fountains around the Eiffel Tower and in public parks in a desperate effort to keep cool.

'Its so hot in the metro, it's unbearable. There are many people, no air conditioning and everyone is on top of each other,' said Paris commuter Petra Ulm, 34

The French capital was among a host of northern cities to set local temperature records, including the likes of Troyes, Rouen, Lille and Dunkirk.

Meanwhile Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands also set all-time records of 106.7F (41.5C), 105F (40.6C), and 107.06F (41.7C) respectively, breaking previous all-time records set only the day before.

French forecasters also said that Wednesday night was likely the warmest the country had ever experienced, with an average low of 70.5F (21.3C).

The UK also registered its second-hottest day ever with 99.8F (37.7C) showing on thermometers at Kew Gardens in London.

Forecasters predicted the all-time record of 101F (38.5C), set in Kent in 2003, would fall later in the day.

French energy company EDF said it was limiting production at two nuclear plants for fear of over-heating rivers the stations use for coolant, killing off fish.

Meanwhile Philippe Villeneuve, chief architect at Notre Dame, said he was 'extremely worried' that the cathedral's vaulted ceiling – which was damaged by fire – may collapse completely in the heat.

Mr Villeneuve said: 'I am very worried about the heatwave. What I fear is that the joints or the masonry, as they dry, lose their coherence, their cohesion and their structural qualities and that all of sudden, the vault gives way.'

Trains were cancelled in Britain and France, and French authorities urged travellers to stay home.

France also banned the transportation of animals between 1pm and 6pm 'for economic reasons'.

The Netherlands and Belgium also reported new record heats and Britain is expected to do so later.

The Netherlands' meteorological institute said 40.4 C (104.72 F) was recorded Thursday in the municipality of Gilze Rijen, near the border with Belgium. That just eclipsed the 39.3 C (102.74 F) recorded a day earlier in the southern city of Eindhoven.

In Belgium the new all-time high rose to 40.6 C (105. F).

'This is the highest recorded temperature for Belgium in history since the beginning of the measurements in 1833,' said Alex Dewalque from the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium.

Swathes of Germany, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Switzerland could face temperatures exceeding 40 C (104 F).

Germany recorded 40.5 degrees (104.9 F) Wednesday, and the German Weather Service is expecting even higher temperatures Thursday.

French winemakers also revealed that this year is set to be the worst in the last five years for win production, with the number of bottles down 13 per cent on last year.

A year of hugely unpredicatable weather has affected the vines which grow the grapes. Not three months ago farmers were battling late frosts that saw them light fires in the fields to keep the plants warm.

In Bordeaux, a huge wine-producing region, the temperature hit 106F (41.2C) on Tuesday this week.

A spokesman for EDF said: 'Production restrictions are likely to affect EDF's nuclear generating fleet at the Bugey, St-Alban and Tricastin nuclear power plants beyond 26 July 2019.'

Tourists frolicked in fountains across Europe as they sought relief from the heat, while volunteers fanned out to help the elderly, sick and homeless.

This latest heat wave is being triggered by an omega block, a type of high-pressure pattern resembling the Greek letter that diverts the jet stream – a strong current of air which controls much of Europe's weather.

As the jet stream – which typically runs in a meandering line from west to east – bends upwards, it allows hot air to surge northward from Africa.

Clare Nullis, of the World World Meteorological Organisation, said that climate change was making these events more likely, following on the heels of another heatwave last month which set many of the records due to be broken Thursday.

She told EuroNews: 'We expect when 2019 comes to an end, we will see the warmest 5-year-period on record.

'Climate change is very much real, it is not a future distant scenario, it is happening now, and it is playing out through extreme weather events.'

In France, five deaths have been linked to the heatwave while authorities in Austria reported Thursday that a three-year-old child had died in a hot car.

The boy had crawled inside the vehicle at his family's farm on Tuesday while his parents were unaware and fallen asleep, emergency workers said.

He was discovered hours later and rushed to hospital, where he died Wednesday.

Hundreds of travellers were stuck on trains in sweltering conditions outside Paris for several hours late Wednesday after a fire on an electrical transformer halted traffic in and out of the Gare de l'Est station in Paris.

This came after a failure on an overhead power line had halted train traffic between Brussels and London and Paris.

It was not immediately clear if the fault was due to the heatwave but Eurostar warned further disruptions were expected Thursday.

Cooler weather with rain was expected to provide relief from Friday.

Across Germany, Switzerland and Austria, some communities painted rail tracks in white hoping the light color would bring down the temperature by a few degrees.

In Heiligendamm on the Baltic Sea in eastern Germany, train services were canceled temporarily during last month's heat wave after the tracks were deformed by the heat.

German railways Deutsche Bahn said passengers who had booked tickets for Thursday or Friday and wanted to delay their trips because of the heat could do so until August 4 without extra charge.

Across London and Paris, authorities and charity workers handed out water and sunscreen to homeless people and opened day centers for them to rest and shower.

'They are in the street all day, under the sun. No air conditioning, no way to protect oneself from the heat, so for some it's really quite complicated,' said Ruggero Gatti, an IT worker joining other Red Cross volunteers handing out water bottles, soup and yogurt to the homeless in the Paris suburb of Boulogne.

In Cologne in western Germany, volunteers offered free water to thirsty passersby at the initiative of the city's local transportation system and an energy supplier, while others were sunbathing on the dried-up banks of the Rhine river.

The national rail authority and Paris public transit system urged passengers to avoid travel Thursday. Messages to 'Hydrate yourselves!' came from the radio, television and public message boards.

French Health Minister Agnez Buzyn said that temperatures on Thursday are expected to be 2 degrees higher than in 2003. Some 20 million French are expected to be hit by the heatwave, she said.

Summers are usually mild in much of Europe and few homes have air conditioning. It's not that common in hospitals, stores or restaurants either.

Electric fans are selling fast around Paris – and traditional folding fans seem to be making a comeback, waved by many on the stuffy subway.

In Bavaria's prisons, inmates were getting cold cucumber soup, fruit and yoghurt for lunch and more water than normal, the German news agency dpa reported.

The heat wave is intense but expected to be short, with temperatures dropping Friday and Saturday.

As emissions continue to warm the planet, scientists say there will be more and hotter heat waves, like those increasingly hitting the U.S. though it's too early to know whether this hot spell is linked to man-made climate change.

'There is likely the DNA of climate change in the record-breaking heat that Europe and other parts of the world are experiencing.

'And it is unfortunately going to continue to worsen,' said Marshall Shepherd, professor of meteorology at University of Georgia.

France's weather office said the scorching conditions 'require particular care, notably for vulnerable or exposed people' with almost the entire country under an orange-level weather alert, the second-highest level.

Paris, in particular, remains haunted by the early summer of 2003 when 15,000 deaths were blamed on the heat and the authorities were bitterly criticised for not mobilising fast enough.

'We need to take care of ourselves but above all others especially those who are alone, and be able to detect the first symptoms of heatstroke,' said Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.

Local authorities have placed restrictions on water usage in many areas due to drought-like conditions that have seen ground and river water levels fall dramatically.

This summer's second heatwave has amplified concerns in Europe that human activity is heating the planet at a dangerous rate.

The June 26-28 blast of heat in France was four degrees Celsius (7.2 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than an equally rare June heatwave would have been in 1900, the World Weather Attribution (WWA) team said this month.

One study by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology said the deadly, weeks-long heatwave across northern Europe in 2018 would have been statistically impossible without climate change.

Why is the UK in the grip of a heatwave and is it related to the one roasting the US?

WHAT IS CAUSING THE HEATWAVE?

The heatwave has been triggered by the build-up of high pressures over Europe over the past few days, leading to the northward movement of warm air from Europe over the UK.

'At this time of year southerly winds will always lead to above average temperatures,' said University of Reading meteorologist Peter Inness.

'Air from continental Europe, the Mediterranean and even North Africa is brought over the UK.'

'The eastward passage of weather fronts and low pressures from the North Atlantic are currently being blocked by the high pressure over Europe,' added University of Reading climate scientist Len Shaffrey.

IS IT RELATED TO THE US HEATWAVE?

The US's recent warm weather has been caused by a high-pressure dome building up over much of the country, trapping the summer heat.

This has wider-reaching effects.

'Heatwave conditions in the U.S Midwest and the East coast have strengthened the jet stream,' explained environmental scientist Kate Sambrook of the University of Leeds.

'The resulting thunderstorms occurring on the continent have helped the jet stream to meander and move to the north of the U.K.'

'As a result of this shift, hot air has been drawn up from Europe causing the high temperatures we are experiencing this week.'

HOW LONG WILL THE HEAT LAST?

'Although there is some uncertainty in the forecast, it looks like it will become cooler on Friday as the high pressure over Europe moves slowly towards the east,' said Dr Shaffrey.

'This will allow weather fronts to move over the UK, bringing cooler air and possibly some rain,' Professor Shaffrey added,

HOW HOT WILL IT GET?

Meteorologists are predicting high temperatures reaching up to 100°F (38°C) over central and Eastern England on Thursday.

Although different forecasts are anticipating slightly different details, 'the broad message of all the forecasts is the same,' said Dr Inness.

'It will be hot, with high temperatures persisting through the night time periods, and there is the risk of some thunderstorms over the UK.'

These will continue through Wednesday.

'If conditions continue, it is likely that we could experience the hottest July on record,' said Dr Sambrook.

'However, the outcome is uncertain as conditions are expected to change early next week.'

University of Oxford climate scientist Karsten Haustein added that 'there is a 40–50 per cent chance that this will be the warmest July on record.'

The final estimate depends on which observational dataset is used, he noted.

While agreeing that the next week's weather will determine this July's place in the record books, Dr Inness noted that 2019 did bring us the warmest June known since the year 1880.

'In fact, 9 of the 10 warmest Junes in the global record have happened since 2000', he said.

In Europe, he noted, this June was also the warmest on record, reaching almost a whole degree Celsius above the previous number one back in 2003.

'Weather records are not normally broken by such large margins — a few tenths of a degree would be more likely.'

The present conditions may turn out to be record-breaking, but they are also part of a recent trend towards warmer UK summers.

'2018 was the joint hottest (year) on record with highest temperature measured at around 35°C, similar to temperatures expected this week,' said University of Leeds climatologist Declan Finney.

The likelihood of experiencing such hot summers has risen from a less than 10 per cent chance in the 1980s to as high as a 25 per chance today, he added.

IS CLIMATE CHANGE CAUSING HEATWAVES?

'The fact that so many recent years have had very high summer temperatures both globally and across Europe is very much in line with what we expect from man-made global warming,' said Dr Inness.

'Changes in the intensity and likelihood of extreme weather is how climate change manifests,' said environmental scientist Friederike Otto of the University of Oxford.

'That doesn't mean every extreme event is more intense because of it, but a lot are. For example, every heatwave occurring in Europe today is made more likely and more intense by human-induced climate change.'

However, local factors also play a role, with each extreme weather event being influenced by the location, season, intensity and duration.

The present heatwave is not the only notable indicator of climate change, experts note, with ongoing droughts — such as those being experienced in many parts of Germany — also being in line with scientific predictions.

Research into the 2003 European heatwave suggested at the time that human activity had more than doubled the risk of such warm summers — and that annual heatwaves like we are experiencing now could become commonplace by around the middle of the century.

'It has been estimated that about 35,000 people died as a result of the European heatwave in 2003, so this is not a trivial issue,' said Dr Inness.

'With further climate change there could be a 50% chance of having hot summers in the future,' agreed Dr Finney.

'That's similar to saying that a normal summer in future will be as hot as our hottest summers to date,' he ad