It has been absolutely scorching today in Leicestershire today with temperatures soaring to 33 degrees.
Saturday has been the hottest day of the year with many people soaking up the sun in their nearest parks or scrambling for shade, blessed shade.
Hundreds of people sought the cool relief of Rutland Water as its beach filled up with families grabbing the chance to enjoy the great weather at the end of what has largely been a pretty miserable month of June.
In Leicester, Town Hall Square and Bede Park filled up with sun-worshippers and the pubs with beer gardens were doing good business in the afternoon.
Sam Clayden, 21, and her friend Helen Scales parked themselves near the Town Hall Square fountain for an ice-cream and a spot of sun-bathing.
Sam said: “Helen said it was too hot. She’s so wrong.
“I love it when it’s like this. I’ve got the factor 30 on and I’m going to lie here until I’m cooked – then we’re going to get some cocktails.
“Dream Saturday, I reckon.”
Will France, 30, said: “It’s just lovely. I’ve got the radio playing on my phone and nowhere I need to go – so here I stay.”
Nationally sales of barbecue food have soared, according to Tesco, with the supermarket predicting it will sell more than one million packs of sausages, 650,000 packs of burgers and 50,000 disposable barbecues over the weekend.
The predicted figure for sales of barbecue meat is double that of last weekend.
What to do in the sunshine
As people flocked to the seaside to make the most of the weather, the M5 was closed in both directions in Somerset because of problems with overhead power cables.
England's most senior nurse called on the public to help children, the elderly and other vulnerable people at risk of being affected by the heat.
Chief Nursing Officer for England Ruth May said: "Like lots of people I'm looking forward to having fun in the sun with family and friends this weekend, but nobody wants to spend a pleasant day stuck in a hospital or urgent treatment centre.
"So, whether you're going to be out in the garden like me or heading off to Glastonbury, it's really important to take simple precautions like drinking plenty of water, using high-factor sunscreen and remembering to take allergy medication if you need it - as is making sure to check in on neighbours and loved ones who can suffer the most from heat and pollen."
According to NHS England, almost 3,000 people were admitted to hospital because of heat-related ailments in 2017/18, including 632 with severe sunburn, 100 cases of heat exhaustion and 223 cases of sun and heat-stroke.
NHS England and emergency services have issued warnings to the public to take care in the hot conditions.
It follows the death of 12-year-old Shukri Yahya Abdi, who drowned in the River Irwell in Bury on Thursday.
Tomorrow (Sunday) is set to be cooler at 23 degrees with some cloudy spells over Leicestershire.
