Met Office Red Heat Warning Covers Parts of England and Wales as Temperatures Near 39C

The UK Met Office issued a red heat warning for parts of central and southern England and Wales. The alert begins at 09:00 BST on Wednesday and ends at 21:00 on Thursday, with temperatures forecast to reach 38C or 39C by mid-week. The warning indicates a high likelihood of risk to life.

Some trains have already been delayed or cancelled due to the hot weather, and critical national infrastructure could face disruption. Sunbathers gathered in Richmond Green, London, on the morning of the report as temperatures climbed by lunchtime. The heat stems from a combination of factors affecting multiple countries, according to BBC Weather's Helen Willetts.

In France, 845 schools closed due to the warm weather. In Spain's Basque region, companies have been asked to adapt worker timetables.