Tinshui Yeung
Live reporter

Image source, Jon Forshaw

Jon Forshaw, who grows cereals and vegetables in Tarleton, Lancashire, tells me that the unusually hot weather is having an impact on his farm.

"The leaves of cauliflower are very big, so they wilt a bit in the hot weather," he says.

He's currently irrigating his crops, but says "there's a cost with that."

"It's not too bad at the moment, but if it carries on like this, it will obviously have an effect on crop size and yield," he adds.

To adapt to changing weather patterns, Forshaw says he's moving some crops closer to water to help reduce these irrigation costs. He's also thinking about growing different types of crops.

The heat is affecting his work schedule too - he started at 05:30 BST today to get ahead before it became too hot.

"It saps your energy," he says. "It's not good for you working out in this."

There have been calls for restrictions on outdoor work in extreme heat, but Forshaw says sometimes crops just have to be harvested.

Joe Coughlan
Live reporter

Image source, Dr Richard Allan

This month has seen the greatest monthly temperature range in Reading in almost 120 years of records, according to data from the Berkshire town's university.

The University of Reading's atmospheric observatory recorded its hottest ever May day on Tuesday as temperatures provisionally hit 33.1C.

It follows a low of -0.1C on 12 May earlier this month - equalling a total range of 33.2C.

While the recordings still need to be verified by manual observations, both the May day record and temperature range record were also broken on Monday after the mercury rose to 32.8C, which gave an overall monthly range of 32.9C.

The previous highest monthly range of 32.8C in Reading was in May 1944, when the previous hottest May day was also recorded at 31.9C.

Dr Richard Allan, who works at the university's meteorology department, tells me: "What is quite disturbing is the fact we have not only broken the weather record from May, we have smashed it out the park."

The professor of climate science says hot days can increase in temperature more rapidly than in mild weather due to warmer atmospheres being "thirstier", thus being capable of sapping more moisture from the ground.

Tuesday also saw the university recording its third consecutive day in heatwave conditions, the first time this has happened since May 1922.

Temperatures have risen further in both England and Wales - which both recorded their hottest May days on record earlier.

In its latest update, the Met Office says that the temperature recorded in Kew Gardens has now provisionally reached 35.1C. The UK record was broken earlier today, when it reached 35.0C there.

In Cardiff Bute Park, it says temperatures have now reached 32.9C - after breaking the all-time temperature record for May earlier at 32.3C.

Passengers travelling on trains up and down the country are facing delays and cancellations because of the hot weather. As we enter rush hour, let's take a look at some of the disruption.

• Avanti West Coast says services running to and from London Euston may be delayed or cancelled due to a points failure
• South Western Railway (SWR) has cancelled some afternoon and early evening services between London Waterloo and Weymouth, Southampton and Bournemouth, and London Waterloo and Aldershot - it earlierwarned passengers that services across its entire network "may be revised" because of the hot weather
• Meanwhile, LNER says two speed restrictions on its routes are causing delays on journeys passing through St Neots, Cambridgeshire, Tollerton, and North Yorkshire
• Great Northern says damage to overhead electric wires mean it cannot run services between Cambridge and Kings Lynn

Why does hot weather affect train journeys?

Overhead electric lines can expand and sag in hot weather, forcing trains to travel more slowly to avoid damage.

Steel rails also expand as temperatures increase, slowing down trains and increasing the chance of delays and cancellations.

Image source, Fiddlesticks

Norwich-based clog dancing group, the Fiddlesticks, says it had to adapt its bank holiday Monday displays along the Thames Valley as temperatures soared to 34.8C (96.4F) in parts of London.

The genre is similar to Morris dancing, but the dancers wear wooden clogs. On very hot days, routines can be sweaty, stamina-testing challenges.

Julie Brown, from Fiddlesticks, says: "We've been modifying our dances a little bit, putting our most energetic dances at the start of our sets."

For the Fiddlesticks' members - who range in age from 20-somethings to people in their 80s - Browns says performing has "been really, really hot for both our band and our dancers... it's been tough."

Image source, Fiddlesticks

Madeleine Lake
Reporting from Regent's Park

There's not a cloud in sight or sign of any rain, yet I'm seeing an abundance of umbrellas.

Across parks in London and even on the busiest streets, they are everywhere.

Akiko Bird, 67, is from Tokyo and has lived in London for over 25 years.

She says a Japanese umbrella is a common way to protect yourself from the heat.

"The heat in Japan especially in the north can reach 40C, in the summer and the ladies don't like getting tanned so they use this. You can use it for the rain but it blocks the light as well", she says.

Akiko says it's an essential for her to have in hot weather, "I do prefer London summer here, Tokyo can be unpleasant because it's so humid, you just sweat constantly."

She's faced many spells of hot weather before and tells me she remembers resorting to putting wet towels around her neck during the 2020 UK heatwave.

Derek Brockway
BBC Meteorologist

Image source, BBC WEATHER WATCHERS/Shropshire Liam

It’s been the hottest May day ever recorded across Wales.

A temperature of 32.3C was recorded at Bute Park in Cardiff today.

That breaks yesterday’s new record of 32.2C at Hawarden Airport in Flintshire.

The previous May record had stood at 30.6C, set in Newport on 29 May 1944.

Freya Scott-Turner
Live reporter

Image source, EDD MOORE

For some, headlines on this week's record-breaking heat could cause "eco-anxiety".

The government defines this as , external"the distress and worry that people may feel due to the threat of climate change" and says that young people are thought to be most at risk.

Heat, long dry spells and extreme weather have made young people more aware of climate change, says Edd Moore, a climate education consultant who works with schools and young people.

"For many children, that growing awareness can bring real anxiety about what their future world will look like", he tells the BBC.

Moore recommends that people with this anxiety spend more time in nature, focus on small practical actions within their local communities, or connect with others who share their concerns. This can "restore a sense of control, hope and resilience", he says.

Barra Best
BBC News NI weather presenter

It’s been the warmest May day ever recorded across the island of Ireland.

A temperature of 29.7C was recorded at Oak Park in County Carlow today.

That breaks yesterday’s new record of 28.6C at Shannon Airport in County Clare.

The previous May record had stood at 28.4C, set in County Kerry in 1997.

The final figures could be higher when they come in later.

Lancashire Police is investigating reports that a child has got into difficulty in a river in Ribchester.

In a statement, the police force says its officers were called at around 14:00 today "to a concern for the welfare of a child who had gone into the river at Ribchester".

"The child, a boy, had got into difficulty while swimming with friends," it says, adding that emergency services are at the scene and "searches are ongoing".

It is the hottest May day on record, breaking the record set on Monday.

"Today is now the hottest day in May on record with Heathrow and Kew Gardens provisionally reaching 35.0C," the Met Office says.

"Until yesterday the highest temperature in May was 32.8C, but we've now exceeded that record on consecutive days by a full two degrees Celsius."

Yesterday, temperatures reached 34.8C at Kew Gardens.

Damian Grammaticas
Political correspondent

Image source, PA Media

Downing Street has said that the idea of setting a maximum legal temperature for workplaces "is not something [they] are looking at".

Some countries do have such limits.

In Spain, for instance, the maximum legal working temperature indoors is 27C for sedentary work and 25C for light physical work.

Amid the heatwave, a Downing Street spokesperson says that "the government would always encourage people to follow health advice from the UK Health Security Agency in order to keep cool in these temperatures".

Asked whether the prime minister would encourage people to consider working from home, the spokesperson says that is "a matter for individual employers".

Image source, Weather Watchers/TweeterofWit

The Met Office is warning of the potential for "cold shock", as sea and other open water temperatures are much lower than the highs being felt during this heatwave.

The forecaster has shared a map which shows that even in the south-east of England, sea temperatures are around 14C.

What is cold water shock?

When our bodies enter cold water abruptly, it can lead to cold shock. This shock causes the blood vessels in the skin to close, increasing the resistance of blood flow, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) explains.

It also increases heart rate, meaning the heart has to work harder and your blood pressure goes up, the RNLI says, warning that cold water shock can cause heart attacks even in those who are young and healthy.

"The sudden cooling of the skin by cold water also causes an involuntary gasp for breath. Breathing rates can change uncontrollably, sometimes increasing as much as tenfold. All these responses contribute to a feeling of panic, increasing the chance of inhaling water directly into the lungs," the RNLI adds.

Image source, Met Office

Image source, Andy F/Geograph

A man in his 60s has died after running into the sea to help two relatives who had got into difficulty on a beach in Cornwall, according to police.

The incident happened at about 15:50 BST on bank holiday Monday on Tregirls Beach near Padstow.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the man, who lived locally, suffered a cardiac arrest after reportedly entering the water to assist two family members, who were brought to safety by other people at the beach.

He was pronounced dead at the scene. His death follows news of three others at swimming sites across England:

• A body was recovered from the water at Rother Valley Country Park in South Yorkshire in the early hours of Tuesday morning after a teenage boy went missing on Monday
• The body of a teenage girl was recovered from Kingsbury Water Park in Warwickshire on Monday evening
• A 13-year-old boy died after getting into difficulty while in a reservoir in Halifax, Yorkshire, on Monday afternoon

Dozens of homes in Kent have been left with little or no water for the third day as the hot weather continues.

The outages began on Saturday and peaked on Sunday when about 800 properties in the villages of Charing, Challock and Molash were unable to get water.

South East Water (SEW) says teams are working hard to restore drinking water supplies across the region following "high demand during the exceptionally hot weather", which led to "storage reservoirs running low in parts of Kent".

The company says it is having to pump more water than usual to higher ground due to this demand, and customers in these areas may experience low pressure or supply interruptions, especially at peak use times.

A SEW spokesperson adds:

• Around 64 properties in the Radfall area of Whitstable are experiencing low pressure or no water as a pump has failed
• Fewer than 20 properties on higher ground in the Ulcombe area of Kent are also experiencing ongoing water supply problems
• Repairs have also been carried out on a burst water main in the Decoy Drive area of Eastbourne, where water should now be returning to 168 properties

With Kenley in London experiencing the warmest May night on record - at 21.3C - and similarly balmy conditions felt more widely across the UK, we've compiled some handy tips to make sleeping a little more bearable.

Cameron Angus-Mackay
Reporting from Shetland

People in Shetland are pleased to see a brighter day after a run of cold and cloudy weather.

It's only 11C in Lerwick, but the sun is bringing people out for lunch around the harbour.

The town feels quite busy this afternoon because of two large cruise ships. Tourists are stopping to photograph island scenery and popping into local shops.

Belgian couple Claudia and Thierry are on a 12-day cruise. "We have 30C back home, but when we set off on the boat it was raining, raining, raining," they say.

Joe Coughlan
Live reporter

Image source, Eanna Hermbusche

Staff at the Grantley Arms pub in Wonersh are offering free sunscreen for those in their garden.

Eanna Hermbusche, the Surrey pub's general manager, tells me that the initiative started last year after management ordered a bulk amount of sunscreen for the staff - before deciding to offer the surplus to patrons.

"In the outside areas we have got cutlery stations, so we put a few bottles on those and people can help themselves," Eanna adds.

He says the offering has spread locally through word of mouth, with parents appreciating the extra protection for their children during school holidays.

"It's been received very positively. People are very gracious of the fact it's being given out for free as everything costs money these days," Eanna says.

Kieran Kelly and Maddie Lake
Reporting from Regent's Park

In Regent's Park, we bumped into three people who are all too familiar with stifling heat.

Autumn Cook, 21, and Jayda Masina, 23, are from Utah, while Alyssa McCave, 19, is from Texas in the United States.

Both states experience intense heat, but Jayda and Autumn tell us that the current UK heatwave is "way worse".

Autumn says the "lack of air conditioning" is a "big" problem, while Jayda adds that more air conditioning would make the heatwave more "tolerable".

While they described the heat as "inconvenient", they told us they had still enjoyed their time in London.

Image source, Getty Images

Mark Poynting
Climate reporter

It can be easy to forget just how quickly the UK’s climate is changing.

Days exceeding 30C (86F) - known as “very hot” days by the Met Office - might feel normal, but they used to be much rarer.

During the last decade, the number of these “very hot” days more than trebled compared with the 1961-1990 average, according to the Met Office.

These temperatures are especially rare in May.

The Met Office says that 30C has been reached in May in only a handful of years since 1900.

And yesterday's provisional high of 34.8C is simply unprecedented in May since records began, smashing the previous high by a full 2C.

The UK’s weather varies a lot naturally, so new records won’t fall every year.

But this early season heat is consistent with the long-term trend of rising temperatures because of human-caused climate change.