Saturday 29 June 2019 11:13 am

European heatwave: Hottest day of the year forecast for UK

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 06: A woman walks along the bank of the Thames River during a hot afternoon in Bermondsey on August 6, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. The Met Office has said that the UK heatwave will last until Wednesday morning, with temperatures of up to 35C possible in London. Forecasters are also predicting the warm summer weather seen this year could last until October. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

The heatwave that has engulfed Europe over the past week is set to reach the UK on Saturday with temperatures across the south of England soaring.

The mercury could rise too as high as 34C (93F) in London, while other parts of the South East such as Cambridgeshire and East Anglia could expect up to 35C.

The current record for the hottest day in June was set in 1976, when temperatures peaked at 35.6C, meaning there is potential for it to be a record-breaking day.

Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge has rated the chance of the June record being broken at “at least 40 per cent”.

It comes a day after France recorded its all-time highest temperature on Friday when the southern town of Gallargues-le-Montueux saw temperatures hit 45.9C.

Earlier in the week, Germany, Poland and Czech Republic all recorded their highest-ever June temperatures.

Temperatures across central and eastern parts of the UK are expected to comfortably exceed 30C, according to forecasters, while Glastonbury festival is looking at a temperature of around 27C.

Organisers at the festival in Somerset have handed out sun cream and water free of charge in a bid to combat the heat.

The NHS and emergency services have issued a warning for the public to take extra care in the heat and help those most at risk, such as children and the elderly.

In 2018 there were around 3,000 cases of people being admitted to hospital due to heat-related conditions.