The record for the hottest June day has been broken for the third day in a row, with temperatures provisionally hitting 36.9C in Wattisham, Suffolk
The Met Office says temperatures are still rising as parts of the UK continue to face extreme heat, with storms forecast and flash flood warnings
A red extreme heat warning is affecting millions of people in London and south-east England, with large swathes of the UK also under heat and thunderstorm warnings
Firefighters from Derbyshire and Greater Manchester are continuing to battle a large wildfire on Tintwistle Moor that has been burning since Wednesday
Meanwhile images show dramatic lightning overnight - as of 10:00, over 63,000 strikes were recorded in a 24-hour period, the Met Office says
Sasha tells the BBC it's been a challenge to manage her diabetes in the heat, while cherry grower Richard says the warmer weather has made fruit picking easier
How are you coping in the heat? Send us your tips and pictures
The M5 in Somerset has reopened in both directions following a defect with overhead power lines.
National Highways warns that there are delays of 160 minutes and 10 miles of congestion in both directions, adding that this will begin to ease.
Image source, PA MediaA woman uses a fans as she makes an early morning journey towards the centre of Bristol
Image source, PA MediaRowers pause to rehydrate as they take an early morning row across the harbour in Bristol
Image source, EPA/ShutterstockCommuters use electric and hand fans while riding the London Underground during the hot weather
Image source, PA MediaSiblings Hayley and Em Vitiello, and their friend Rioghnach Iadicicco leap into the water at Charlton Lido in south east London
Image source, Getty ImagesAs the heatwave persists, a 'cool space' map in London is helping people find somewhere to take respite from the heat.
Through the map, external, those in England's capital can seek shelter in the cool spaces, ranging from the O2 and the Royal Opera House to the Imperial War Museum, churches, community centres and libraries.
Inside they will find cooler temperatures - some have air conditioning - free seating and water, and toilet facilities.
At a minimum, the spaces are open five days a week from 10:00 until 17:00, according to the website.
They can be found across the city, with the map also showing places covered by tree canopy, and areas where the surface temperature is generally cooler.
Michael Race
Business and economics reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesUnsurprisingly, as temperatures have soared, sales of fans and air conditioning units have spiked as people seek to stay cool. A quick online search shows many retailers of portable air con units are out of stock.
Covid-era queues were seen outside some Lidl supermarkets ahead of opening hours on Thursday as shoppers flocked to the middle aisle before they sold out. The retailer Curry's told the BBC that it saw air conditioning sales increase 330% in the space of a week.
Lincoln Smith, managing director of Custom Heat in Warwickshire, says he is planning to change his company name due to a steady rise in his business fitting more air conditioning units in homes over the past five years.
"There is a significant demand coming for home comfort and air conditioning," he tells the BBC's Wake Up To Money, adding that because demand is so high, some of his suppliers are saying they won't be able to get units until after the summer.
"We are having to diversify and use other manufacturers to keep up with demand."
Image source, National HighwaysThe M5 in Somerset is closed in both directions between J22 and J23 due to a risk that overhead electricity cables could fall into the road.
There are currently delays of 115 minutes, with up to 8 miles of congestion both ways, according to National Highways.
National Grid engineers are carrying out "essential repair work" following the fault in the area between Highbridge and Puriton, and it will "reopen the road as soon as it is safe to do so", National Highways reports.
On Wednesday, more than 10 people were taken to hospital for "minor and heat-related conditions" after huge queues of traffic built up on the M25 during the red heat alert following a serious crash between a van and a lorry.
As we've just reported, Wattisham, Suffolk has set a new provisional June record temperature of 36.9C.
Here are the highest temperatures recorded in the other UK nations so far today:
Scotland - Eskdalemuir, 28.6C
Wales - Hawarden, 34.0C
Northern Ireland - Katesbridge, 24.1C
Image source, BBC Weather Watchers/@DesMDonaghadee in Northern Ireland is seeing the sun
Jacob Phillips
Live reporter
Image source, ReutersPeople use umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun while punting on the River Cam in Cambridge
The June heat record for the UK keeps getting pushed higher.
For the third day in a row the record has been broken for the hottest June day, and the Met Office has warned that temperatures are still rising.
Here's a reminder of the numbers behind the record-breaking heatwave:
Wednesday 24 June
The 50-year-old record was toppled when it reached 36.1C in Gosport, Hampshire, beating the previous highest temperature of 35.6C recorded in Southampton in 1976 and Camden in 1957.
Thursday 25 June
Temperatures of 36.7C were recorded at Merryfield, Somerset, breaking the previous day's record.
Friday 26 June
Temperatures reached 36.9C in Wattisham, Suffolk, setting another new provisional record.
There will be respite however by Sunday, with the Met Office forecasting that many areas will be at least 10C cooler than today.
Friday is the provisional hottest June day on record as 36.9C is recorded in Wattisham, Suffolk, the Met Office says.
This passes the previous record which was set on Thursday when 36.7C was recorded in Merryfield, Somerset.
Image source, EPAVarious museums and tourist attractions have had to make adjustments to manage the soaring temperatures.
Here's what we've seen so far:
Tower Bridge is closed to visitors. The Cutty Sark and Royal Observatory in Greenwich are also closed. The Victoria and Albert Museum has shut some galleries, and the Young V&A is closed until Sunday. The British Museum has warned it may have to close some galleries.
Marwell Zoo in Hampshire has closed its 140-acre site. Thorpe Park, Chessington World of Adventures and Legoland Windsor and are allowing people to swap their tickets for a different day.
Plus, some Greggs stores have also closed during the heatwave, with 11 sites shut since Wednesday.
This comes on top of school closures, with more than 600 shutting in England fully or partially today.
Vanessa Clarke
Education reporter
More than 600 schools in England have either closed or partially closed again today.
The Department for Education doesn’t publish a list of schools that have closed during the heatwave, so the figure is only an estimate and is likely to be much higher.
We’ve been looking at individual councils’ websites in areas most affected by the heatwave and counted 677 that have fully or partially closed, or that have offered parents the option to pick their children up early.
Most schools have stayed open, although many academy trusts are reporting lower attendance this week.
Catherine Burns
Health correspondent
A nurse working in a hospital in the Midlands who contacted the BBC through Your Voice says her ward has been transformed into a "wall of heat".
She also describes the ward as "terrible" and "intolerable" but is having to push on through for the patients.
Meanwhile, a midwife tells me there’s no air conditioning in the post natal ward - so mums and new babies are trying to cope with temperatures over 30C (86F).
An A&E doctor also tells me the heating is still on in some parts of their hospital, with no air conditioning and windows that do not open.
They say staff are getting irritable, while patients are in “hot, cramped and chaotic” conditions, and some are becoming abusive.
The hot weather has ushered thunderstorms into the UK, sparking dramatic displays of lightning around the country.
As of 10:00 this morning, more than 63,000 lightning strikes had been recorded in a 24-hour period, the Met Office says.
A second lightning storm in five days was in the west of England, with one strike causing a fire at a nursing home in Glastonbury.
Image source, Matthew HarrisLightning turned the sky purple above the River Avon in Bristol
Around 32,000 lightning strikes have been seen in Scotland in the last 24 hours.
The thundery weather came after Scotland recorded its hottest day of the year on Thursday, with temperatures peaking at 31.2C in Threave, Dumfries and Galloway.
Image source, BBC Weather Watchers - Alice EThunderstorms and heavy rain were seen in Edinburgh
Similar displays were also seen in the island of Ireland as many watched in awe as almost 9,000 strikes lit up the skies, during a "once-in-a-lifetime" experience, one resident said.
A dramatic lightning display lasted more than an hour and was witnessed mostly in Counties Londonderry and nearby Donegal, in the Republic of Ireland.
Image source, Patryk SadowskiThe skies above the county of Londonderry on Thursday night
Over in Wales, lightning forked and tore across the sky in Pembrokeshire.
Wales recorded its hottest June day and highest temperature of the year so far on Thursday when 35.9C was recorded in Bute Park, Cardiff.
Image source, Debra AngelLightning forks in Pembrokeshire, Wales
Orange lightning strikes were also seen close to Mont Orgueil Castle in Jersey in the Channel Islands.
Image source, Andrew BattersbyLightning over Mont Orgueil Castle in Gorey, Jersey
As we've just told you Cavendish in Suffolk was the hottest place in the UK at midday, with a temperature of 35.8C.
Just behind that was Santon Downham, in Suffolk, which recorded 35.2C.
Elsewhere, Kew Gardens in London recorded 34C, as did Cambridge.
London's Heathrow Airport saw temperatures of 33.7C, and Bedford 33C.
Coventry recorded 32.5C and Nottingham 32.2C.
Chris Fawkes
BBC Weather presenter
The hottest place at midday is Cavendish in Suffolk at 35.8C
Some patches of cloud will probably cap the temperatures in south-east England at about 35C this afternoon.
The highest temperatures today look most likely in Norfolk or Suffolk this afternoon with temperatures perhaps going as high as 37C or even 38C.
The chase is on then for beating the all-time June temperature of 36.7C provisionally recorded yesterday at Merryfield, Somerset.
Police searching for a missing boy who was reported to have entered a lake in Leicestershire have recovered a body.
Officers were called to Meynell Lake, just after 13:30 BST on Thursday, after reports that a teenage boy had gone into the water, Leicestershire Police say.
Police divers were called in to assist with the search for the boy, who has not been named, alongside fire and rescue, and ambulance services.
Leicestershire Police said a person recovered from the water is confirmed to be the missing teenager and his family are being supported by specially trained officers. They say "there is no suggestion of any suspicious circumstances".
Image source, Chelsea ClawIf you're just joining us, or want a quick catch-up, here's the latest.
Thunderstorms have hit parts of the UK – with yellow warnings in place for more storms in northern England into the evening, and Scotland into the early hours of tomorrow morning. These alerts come with warnings about potential flash flooding and disruption to transport.
In London and south-east England, a red extreme heat warning is in place until 21:00 BST. We’ve heard warnings that pavements in parts of the capital have seen temperatures hit 57C. This morning, the London Ambulance Service said 999 calls had increased 50% during the heatwave.
The mercury had already hit 30.5C at Heathrow by 09:00 BST.
The hottest temperatures are still yet to come - our weather team expects that we could see 35-37C this afternoon, in East Anglia or south-east England.
Michelle Roberts
Health editor
Image source, Getty ImagesAfter days of record-breaking temperatures around Europe, officials have warned people to adjust their behaviour - even fit, young people - as health services report a sharp rise in life‑threatening emergencies.
In London, the ambulance service faced its busiest day on record this week, with cardiac arrests up nearly a third, and is urging people to drink responsibly and avoid exercise outside.
Parisians, meanwhile, will be restricted from drinking alcohol in public from noon through the night on both Friday and Saturday.
Extreme heat puts immense physical strain on the body - made worse if you are dehydrated from drinking alcohol - with the heart pumping harder and faster to cool you off.
Emma Tracey
Disability affairs reporter
When I speak to BBC Sport reporter Sally Hurst, she’s sitting in front of a fan and her voice sounds strained.
Sally is an amputee and is finding the current weather particularly tiring.
That's because above-knee amputees use around 65% more energy to walk than non-disabled people do - but it’s not the only reason she’s struggling in the heat.
Prosthetic limbs trap heat around the socket, causing residual limbs to swell and to excessively sweat.
"I may have to literally pour sweat out of my socket several times a day,” says Sally. “Yes, it’s gross!”
The extra moisture and heat can cause blisters as well. Plus, with fewer limbs, Sally tells me "you have less surface area to get rid of heat through sweating", making it harder to regulate body temperature.
“It’s important to manage your condition as an amputee, because any blisters can take days to heal and make wearing a prosthetic impossible.”
Amputee charity Steel Bones advises the people they support to also look after their prosthetic limbs, including avoiding leaving them in the sun or a hot car as the heat can damage the materials and affect the fit.
Image source, Supplied/Sally Hurst
Sarah Turnnidge
BBC News, West of England
Three people were taken from the building by fire crews
One person has been taken to hospital after a lightning strike caused a fire at a nursing home.
Fire crews were called to reports of a lightning strike and smoke seen coming from the second floor of St Benedict's Nursing Home on Benedict Street, Glastonbury, at 00:41 BST.
Three people were evacuated from the building by crews, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue have said, with one person taken to hospital. A further 25 people were able to remain in the building.
Anna Holligan
Reporting from The Hague
Image source, EPAVehicles being sprayed with water hoses on the Wantij Bridge in the Netherlands on Friday
Life has slowed on the streets of The Hague. The heat is oppressive; at times almost suffocating.
For the first time, the Netherlands has issued a code red weather warning for extreme heat, in force across most of the country, with temperatures forecast to climb towards 40C (104F).
Many schools have shut their doors, a veterans’ day parade planned for tomorrow has been cancelled, and festivals are either being called off or limiting alcohol sales. Public transport is still running, and drivers are being urged to carry water and parasols and to travel only if they have to.
On the cycle paths, there is at least some sense of escape: bike lanes are packed with families heading for the coast and surfers pedalling with boards tucked under their arms.
Similar emergency measures are being rolled out across much of the continent, as Europe braces for another day of extreme heat.
