UK's warmest day so far as temperatures soar

The UK has seen the hottest day of the year so far, with the Met Office reporting a temperature of 30C (86F) in the Scottish Highlands.

The temperature was recorded in Achnagart, near Sheil Bridge in Kyle, at 15:50 on Friday.

The reading beats 2019's previous hottest day of 28.8C (84F) on 2 June.

Hot weather has covered the length and breadth of the country, with Porthmadog in Wales also seeing a temperature of 29.5C (85F).

Over at Yeovilton, near the Glastonbury Festival in Somerset, conditions reached a warm 28.3C (83F), but were still some way off 2017's record temperature of 31.2C (88F).

The rising heat is in part due to warm air originating from northern Africa that has brought a scorching heatwave to a large swathe of Europe.

Several countries have reported record temperatures this week, including France which hit an all-time heat record of 44.3C (111F) on Friday.

NHS England and emergency services have issued warnings to the British public to take care in the hot conditions, with temperatures expected to touch a nearly recording breaking 35C on Saturday.

It follows the death of 12-year-old Shukri Yahya Abdi who drowned in the River Irwell in Bury on Thursday.

Greater Manchester Police issued a warning about the dangers of cooling off in water in the warm weather.

Other emergency services across the country have shared warnings and advice to stay safe, cool and hydrated during the hot conditions.

The RSPCA has urged people to call 999 if they find a dog left alone in a car.

Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge said final top temperatures for Friday in the UK could be even higher before the day ended.

It will be followed by a mild night, with temperatures in the mid to high teens, before the sunshine returns on Saturday.

"It's not entirely certain but there's at least a 40% chance that we could see the hottest June day on record tomorrow," Mr Partridge said.

The forecaster said fresher conditions on Sunday will see temperatures in the south east drop by 10 degrees to around 24 or 25C (77F).

There will be some showers in the north west, Scotland and Northern Ireland, but mainly it will be dry with sunny spells.

England and Wales will see temperatures in the high teens or low 20s, with a lot of humidity and generally fresher feel to the weather.

Scotland had its previous warmest day in May with a temperature of 25.8C at Kinlochewe.

Across the UK, Chivenor in Devon matched Achnagart on 28.8C, while Porthmadog in Wales has seen temperatures hitting 28.7C.