British heatwave brings hottest day of 2023 so far

Britain recorded its hottest day of 2023 so far on Saturday, with provisional data showing a high of 33.2 degrees Celsius at London's Kew Gardens.

This year's previous high was 32.6 C, reached on Thursday.

Britain's national weather service said Saturday was also the sixth day in a row the country has recorded a temperature above 30 C, well above average for the time of year.

The Met Office said last week that Britain had experienced its eighth warmest summer since 1884, with June the hottest on record in the country. A wet July and a mixed August followed.

In July 2022, Britain recorded its hottest ever day when temperatures topped the 40 C mark for the first time.