AS temperatures soared over 30C yesterday there was only one place anyone wanted to be and that was under some nice ice-cold water.

These youngsters at Coate Water Park kept their cool as the mercury in swindon soared.

It was hotter in parts of the UK overnight on Sunday than it was in Istanbul during the day, and temperatures are expected to continue to rise this week as the country basks in a heatwave.

Yesterday MeteoGroup forecaster Callum Stewart said:

“We can expect more warm and humid nights this week as the very warm weather will remain until Friday.”

The weather expert warned that it is important to take precautions against the sun especially as the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, is this week.

He said high pressure to the south of Britain will continue to drag hot air up from the tropics over the coming days.

In response to the extreme hot weather, Simon Bottery, director of policy at Independent Age, the older people’s charity said: “Older people can suffer adverse effects on their health during the hot weather and can be more vulnerable to heatstroke, heat exhaustion and dehydration.

“We would encourage the elderly to keep as cool and as hydrated as possible, and stay out of the extreme heat and sun. “

Unusual levels of UV are also being recorded in the UK at the moment, which has prompted warnings that people should take sensible precautions in the sun.

And the high temperatures prompted the TUC to temporarily relax their workplace dress codes so staff can work through the heatwave as comfortably as possible.

Public Health England South West advised drinking plenty of water, keeping an eye on those likely to be most at risk and staying out of the sun between 11am to 3pm, apply plenty of sunscreen and wear a hat and make sure you take water with you, if you are travelling.

The Met Office’s Chief Meteorologist Dan Suri said: “High pressure is dominating our weather bringing warm, humid air from the tropical Atlantic resulting in these high temperatures and sunny conditions over the coming days.

"These hot and sometimes humid conditions will continue well into the middle of the week when conditions will start to turn more unsettled in some areas before fresher conditions finally start to move across the country from the north and west later this week.”