Wild weather rocks the US: Brutal heatwave bakes Northeast as wildfires rage in California and severe storms hit Southwest
Blistering heat continues to scorch the Northeast with temperatures soaring high into the 90s as forecasters warn the inferno will continue into the weekend, only to be replaced by a lashing from damaging summer storms. Top temperatures will also be paired with intense humidity, pushing heat indices past 100 degrees, the National Weather Service said. And as residents across the East face sauna-like conditions, more Northerly states from the Dakotas into northerly New England will see fierce thunderstorms Wednesday. All this while wildfires in California and the Southwest and Colorado face disastrous flood potential into Wednesday. Scroll down for video
Storm brewing: Young brothers in Rollingstone, Minnesota knock down a sand castle Tuesday. The northern Midwest is predicted to bear the brunt of severe thunderstorms on Wednesday
Swimmers cool off with floaties Tuesday at the Michael LaCanne Memorial Park beach in Goodview, Minnestoa where temperatures of 90 degrees and 100-degree heat index had people finding ways to keep cool
Kids cool off in the spray of an open hydrant on a hot evening in Lawrence, Massachusetts on Tuesday. The Northeast is in the midst of the year's hottest temperatures, with more to come
People keep cool by swimming in the water at the Lower Falls of the Swift River, in Albany, New Hampshire on Tuesday. A weeklong heat wave continues to bear down on much of the region
Splish splash: Youngsters enjoy the water slide at the recreation center in Little Falls, New Jersey as Tuesday temperatures reached the 90s And forecasters have warned the heat will continue to rise throughout the week. In Philadelphia temperatures will reach 95 on Wednesday and 97 on Thursday, while in Newark, New Jersey, temperatures will soar to 97 on Thursday before nudging up to 98 on Friday. The heat will expand into the Midwest and northern Plains by midweek, the weather service said.
Soon to come: Dark clouds loom over St. Joseph Sound as a fishing boat heads away Tuesday. Florida and other Gulf states saw serious thunderstorms early this week. The rest of the country is soon to see the same
Storms: The northern end of the Miodwest's so-called Northern Tier states are braced for a brutal thunderstorm lashing through Wednesday
Double whammy: As it passes over the Great Lakes, the storm is expected to then move into the northerly end of New England on Wednesday evening, bringing hail, high winds, and flooding potential
Out of the frying pan: Skateboarder Rodolfo Soto performs a trick in a park near the East River in New York on Tuesday. The brutal Northeast heat wave is expected to be replaced by serious storms through the weekend
Beachgoers take shelter under an umbrella as they wait for the heavy rains to past over McGee Beach in Corpus Christi, Texas, Tuesday. Areas along the Gulf saw abundant showers early in the week
Fires, too: As much of the country bears the brunt of heat and storms, California is seeing a 12 square mile wildfire rip through arid mountains east of Los Angeles
Over 600 firefighters are coontending with the blaze, with no rain in sight, as it rips toward Palm Springs, California Wildfires rage across Southern California Con Edison, which provides power to New York, said it was prepared for outages and had extra crews on call as the mercury continues to soar in the city. The health commissioner of Philadelphia, where the heat index reached 103 degrees on Monday, launched special summer heat programs, including a hotline for heat emergencies. Parts of Maryland are also in for trouble after a water main break in Prince George's County could leave thousands without water for days, CBS reported.
Evacuee Shanda Paul watches flames move over a hill near Mountain Center in Riverside County, California as the mountain fire grew to 4700 acres overnight
Rapid: The remains of a home destroyed by the Southern California fire on Tuesday in Pine Springs Ranch.The swift fire in the mountains west of Palm Springs doubled overnight
Threatening: Officials say the wildfire in the mountains west of Palm Springs has destroyed three houses and three mobile homes and is threatening dozens more residences
As Arizona recovers from a recent string of high wind, violent storms, elsewhere in the Southwest, residents expect more storms Wednesday
Trees in Phoenix were uprooted by gale-force winds Monday evening. On Wednesday, neighboring New Mexico and Colorado can expect more of the same Officials said the 54-inch water main is starting to fail and they have been forced to shut it down in order to replace it, promising a sweltering few days for residents. 'Residents who live in the affected area are being encouraged to stock up on water in preparation for loss of service during repair of the pipe,' officials said in a news release. 'Mandatory water conservation for people in the affected areas will likely be imposed tomorrow afternoon.'
Sweltering: A young girl cools off in the water from a playground sprinkler in Brooklyn, New York as temperatures soar high into the 90s during a heatwave along the East Coast
Relief: A boy cools off in the water in Brooklyn as temperatures threaten to stay in the 90s until the weekend
Cooling off: Binyah Howard, 14, with the Plymouth Fife and Drum Corps takes a drink near Independence Hall in Philadelphia on Tuesday. An excessive heat warning is in effect in Philadelphia They encouraged people to fill up their bathtubs with water and to check to see if elderly neighbors or family members have done the same. But it's not only the East that is sweltering in the heat as Medford, Oregon endured temperatures of 99 on Monday and residents of Boise, Idaho suffered through 101 degrees. These temperatures are as much as 10 degrees above the average for this time of year. In California, over 600 firefighters are battling a fire that rages 70 miles east of Los Angeles.
Top temperatures: A kiosk screen reads 94 degrees in Times Square in New York City on Tuesday How to survive the East Coast heatwave
Beating the heat: Angela Bradbury, 11, left, and Zoe Riedel, 8, right, jump through a waterfall to cool-off at the Yards Park, near the Washington Nationals baseball stadium, where temperatures were in the mid-90s on Tuesday
Hot work: Roofer Juan Belis works in the midday heat atop a building in Philadelphia on Tuesday The blaze began Monday and had grown to over 12 square miles in less than 24 hours. The fire is on Forest Service Land and, though it is starting to be contained, weather conditions don't suggest rain in the rugged, arid area and the flames remain on a course approaching more densely populated Palm Springs, California. Further east in Colorado and New Mexico, residents are bracing for the opposite problem. The Four Corners region is expecting massive downpours thanks to an influx of moist air from the Gulf. Brutal winds and flooding could accompany these storms, which are expected to last through Thursday.
Seeking shelter: A woman holds an umbrella under the sun as she walks by the U.S. Capitol in Washington
Too much to take: A man relaxes in the stifling heat on a bench near Times Square in New York City
Escape: Youngsters frolic on a raft in Curtis Pond to cool off on Tuesday in Calais, Vermont Flooding is expected to be particularly bad in areas already damaged by wildfires as burn scars leave rain water with nowhere to go. To the north in the northern Midwest and east in to northern New England, fierce storms are predicted as well. On Wednesday, according to Accuweather.com, the region should expect localized damaging winds and dangerous lightning strikes. Forecasters predict that Providence, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington will see temperatures averaging in the mid-90s and could see the heat index values in the low 100s. The searing heat will be accompanied by largely stagnant, windless conditions, leaving Northeasterners without so much as an occasional cool breeze to take their minds off the heat. For New York City and southern New England, this qualifies as a heat wave, which is three or more days with highs in the 90s. The heatwave is expected to stretch into seven days.
Time fur a dip: Dogs splash in canine wading pools in Hudson River Park during the heatwave in New York
Doing the trick: A dog splashes in a canine wading pool as temperatures reach the mid-90s in New York
Shade: A man sleeps under a Subway entrance's awning at Union Square in New York on Tuesday According to CBS News, a heat advisory is announced when the heat and humidity combine to make it feel like at least 95 degrees out for two days on end or, alternatively, if the heat index reaches 100 to 104. Be advised, this week’s heat wave will offer both. 'It's going to be very hot and humid this week,' said New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. 'The weather can be dangerous, especially for those without air conditioning, the elderly and those with chronic health conditions. There are about 425 cooling centers that we have open around the city for those needing relief from the heat.' This overwhelming heat wave is expected to last until Sunday, when temperatures will drop to an average of the mid-80s. Residents can't expect a complete reprieve, however. With the incoming cooler temperatures will come the potential for extreme storms and accompanying damage in the East. On Friday and Saturday, the Northeast is predicted to bear the brunt of some serious thunderstorms, bringing with them high, gusting winds and the potential for flash flooding.
|  Still wildly hot out there! Temperatures hover well above 90 degrees 90 degrees or above in 47 states but sweet relief could come by the weekend
As most of the country sees the hottest days yet this summer, people - and animals - of all stripes do whatever they can to keep things cool. Thankfully, there are cooler temperatures in sight for the Midwest, so creatures like the Brookfield, Illinois zoo's African lion will no longer have to take their meals in the form of frozen meat pops. The Northeast, also in the grip of a heat wave that just won't quit, will chill out by the weekend as cooler air moves in from Canada and gives man and beast a much needed break. Scroll down for video
Chilling: With temperatures in the 90s, 7-year-old African lion Isis is given a meat pop at the Brookfield Zoo in Brookfield, Illinois to help her stay cool
Braying for relief: A race horse cools off after training at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois Thursday as temperatures hit the 90s there as in much of the country, though relief is likely on the way this weekend
Grrreat idea: A sloth bear cub at the Brookfield Zoo in Brookfield, Illinois finds relief in the form of a frozen treat Thursday But with relief may come some new threatening weather as severe thunderstorms could accompany the falling temperatures. As things finally cool off late Saturday, isolated but powerful thunderstorms could drench the already reeling Northeast. Until then, the New York region has another day in the 90s to look forward to. Look for sweet relief on Sunday, when the mercury isn’t predicted to rise above 90 for the first time in a week. The largest heat wave of the summer has stagnated over large regions, bringing sizzling temperatures and little hope of relief without rain, a growing possibility for some hard-hit areas as the weekend approaches.  Polar bears keeping cool as Northeast heatwave continues
Splashing into home: Mackay Lynch gets wet at SUNY Orange Baseball camp in Middletown, New york Thursday
Sweltering: A polar bear beats the heat at Brookfield Zoo in Brookfield, Illinois on Thursday. The week-long heat wave gripping much of the U.S. is likely to end by this weekend
Too cute: 15-month-old Eleanor Schiller cools off in an inflatable pool Thursday, July 18, 2013, in Brainerd, Minnesota
Splish splash: Deondria Harris of Milwaukee smiles as water is dumped on her head at the Splash Pad in Regner Park in West Bend, Wisconsin on Thursday evening
Cut to the chase: A woman in Harlem, New York gets right to the point in an effort to stay hydrated in the 90-plus degree heat that will linger in the Northeast through Saturday
Becky Stap of Pine Bush, New York sprays herself with a hose after using water from the hose to cool off a cow at the Orange County 4-H Showcase at Bergin Farm in Slate Hill, New York on Thursday
Shocker: Tillman Churchman of Horicon reacts as a bucket of water is dumped over his head at the Splash Pad in Regner Park in West Bend, Wisconsin on Thursday. The Midwest can finally expect relief by Saturday Most states in the U.S. had at least one region where the temperature hit 90 degrees Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service, though the worst heat was in the Midwest to Northeast. Humid air just made it all feel worse, with heat indexes in some places over 100. It was hot enough to buckle highway pavement in several states. Firefighters in Indianapolis evacuated 300 people from a senior living community after a power outage knocked out the air conditioning. The state of Illinois opened cooling centers. The Environmental Protection Agency said the heat was contributing to air pollution in New England.
Finally: The dome of heat choking the Midwest and Northeast will likely be pushed out by cooler air from Canada starting Saturday
With a price: As temperatures fall, serious thunderstorms could strike much of the South and Northeast by Saturday
Working hard: Vendor Robert Llambelis tries to keep cool on Thursday near Brooklyn's Barclays Center. The area should see relief by Sunday at the latest
Sonja Mason of St. Paul stands beneath one of the water falls at Upper Landing Park in an effort to stay cool. The Midwest will start to see relief from the week-long heat wave Friday
Staying positive: Friends Grace Greenwood and Alex Place, both of Arlington, Virginia, leap into a water sprinkler for a 'high ten' during the heat wave at the Washington Monument in Washington, DC on Thursday
Too hot: Amalio Medina sits in front of his un-air conditioned shop in the midday heat, Thursday, July 18, 2013, in Philadelphia Officials are blaming hot weather for at least one death. A 78-year-old Alzheimer's patient died of heat exhaustion after wandering away from his northern Kentucky home Tuesday in temperatures that rose to 93 degrees. In New York City, where it was 96 degrees, sidewalk food vendor Ahmad Qayumi said that by 11 a.m., the cramped space inside his steel-walled cart got so hot that he had to turn off his grill and coffee machine. ‘It was just too hot. I couldn't breathe,’ he said, turning away a customer who asked for a hamburger. ‘Just cold drinks,’ he said.
Two young men wade near the base of the fast-falling Minnehaha Falls, Thursday, July 18, 2013 in Minneapolis where temperatures hovered near the mid-90's amid a continuing heat wave
Waiting it out: A woman fans herself with a magazine in the subway below Brooklyn, New York's Barclays Center Thursday as temperatures soared Thursday
All ages: Maria Guevara, 66, stands under a fountain as water hits her during a warm day caused by a heat wave, Thursday, July 18, 2013, in Union City, New Jersey Amid the heat, officials in Washington D.C.'s Maryland suburbs worked to keep a failing water main from cutting off hundreds of thousands of people, just when they needed it most. People in Prince George's County were asked not to run their faucets, water their lawns or flush toilets to keep the water system from emptying during emergency repairs. Firefighters in southern California faced brutally hot — but dangerously dry — conditions as they battled a wildfire outside Palm Springs that had already consumed seven homes. New Mexico and parts of Texas turned out to be rare outposts of cool air Wednesday — but not without trouble of their own: heavy rains prompted flood watches and warnings in some areas. More than five inches of rain fell in 24 hours in Plainview, north of Lubbock, according to the National Weather Service.
Javier Soler, 20, of West New York, New Jersey flips his head back as water from a fountain runs off his hair during a heat wave, Thursday, July 18, 2013, in Union City, New Jersey
Double duty: Salesman Hyper Rosado cools off in between customers during the afternoon heat at Appliances R Us, Thursday in Philadelphia
Hussein Hayari, owner of Appliances R Us in Philadelphia. An excessive heat warning was again in effect for the Philadelphia region with highs in the high-90s At the World Trade Center reconstruction site in New York City, workers building a rail hub dripped under their hardhats, thick gloves and heavy-duty boots. Some wore towels around their necks to wipe away the sweat. ‘We're drinking a lot of water, down under by the tracks, in and out of the sun all day — very hot,’ said carpenter Elizabeth Fontanez, of the Bronx, who labored with 20 pounds of tools and safety equipment strapped to her waist. Since the heat wave began, she said she has been changing shirts several times during her shifts. Already stricken from a serious heat wave, the Northeast corridor is expected to finally see the weather calm down and cool off by Sunday.
Heat wave: Temperatures across the Eastern Corridor are set to stay in the 90s until Sunday, allowing no let up from the weekend's heat. Pictured, children play in Battery Park, New York this weekend
Relief: A child plays in the fountain in Washington Square Park to escape the heat in New York City on Monday In the mean time, people living in the heat wave areas should be careful to drink enough water and should avoid strenuous activity in the middle of the day. They should also wear hats and sunscreen. But it won't be just be the Northeast sweating through the week as parts of the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley - including Chicago, Detroit and Cincinnati - are seeing temperatures in the low 90s. Temperatures this month in the Northeast are several degrees above average due to a hot start to the month. In southern New England, the average temperature so far this month is five to six degrees above average in Boston, Hartford and Providence, the Weather Channel reported.
Cooking: Stephen Price battles the heat while cooking hot dogs in Saratoga Springs, N.Y on Tuesday
Scorching: A sunbather relaxes in the water on the Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston, Massachusetts 
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It ain't half hot, Ma'am! Guards at St James's Palace feel the heat... and it's going to get HOTTER as mercury is predicted to soar to 95F before heatwave ends on Thursday
Temperatures are expected to reach a seven-year high next week as Britain’s heatwave looks set to stay - then conclude with thunderstorms a few days later. The mercury will hit 35C (95F) for the first time since the summer of 2006, say forecasters. The prediction of more sunshine - which is expected to end with thunderstorms from next Thursday - comes as the parched country experiences a wave of wildfires, with crews tackling a record 21 blazes a day. As the Met Office extended its level three heat health warning yesterday, it emerged that the number of fires caused by the scorching weather is four times higher than normal. In London alone, firefighters have already tackled 1,000 grass blazes this summer - many sparked by glass bottles left by picnickers or discarded cigarettes. Scroll down for video
What a scorcher: A Royal Guard sweats in the heat outside St. James' Palace in central London as temperatures pushed towards 30C for a second week
Blazing saddles: A hungry horse appears to order an ice-cream at the Dovey Estuary in Wales
Beach babes: Sophie Hellyer, 26, pictured right, and fellow surfer Laura Crane, 18, enjoy the early morning sun and surf at Saunton beach in Devon yesterday
Early risers: Sophie Hellyer, 26, pictured right, and her friend Laura Crane, 18, were among the first to arrive at Saunton beach in Devon yesterday morning as forecaster said temperatures topped 30C again
Sitting back to relax: Those that couldn't make it to the coast made the most of deck chairs in Green Park, London
Quite a toast: Graduates celebrate after leaving their graduation ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall by entering the fountain 'Appearing Rooms', by Danish artist Jeppe Hein on the Southbank yesterday
Sunny skies ahead: Temperatures remained at around 30C yesterday with forecasters predicting the warm weather will last well into next week. The forecast for yesterday (l), today (c) and tomorrow (r) is pictured
If you thought today was hot... The Metrogroup has predicted that temperatures could soar to the mid 30s next week - higher than Wednesday's peak of 32.2C, which was the hottest day of the year so far However, some have been started deliberately. Fires were started in six separate locations across heathland in Mannings Heath, Dorset, causing a fire to rage over seven hectares – the equivalent of ten football pitches. Conservationists said Wednesday’s inferno, which destroyed the nesting site of Dartford warblers, could take up to 20 years to recover. In south London, a tinder dry area of grassland the size of four football pitches was ablaze yesterday. It is not yet known what caused the fire. Dave Brown, of London Fire Brigade, said crews usually deal with about five fires a day rather than 21, adding: ‘A small spark from a cigarette is often all it takes to start a grass fire in these dry conditions.’ The risk of wildfires has increased as rainfall for July is only 15 per cent of the average of 4.9mm (two inches). So far, 13 people have died swimming in open waters since the heatwave began – four in disused quarries.
Respite: Scarborough beach was packed with people enjoying the afternoon sun yesterday as forecasters predict a slight breeze will make temperatures feel slight cooler over the next few days
Plenty of room: Southend seafront in Essex remained relatively quiet yesterday as temperatures of more than 30C made it too hot for many
Getting hotter: Children dance in the fountain on the Southbank in London to cool down as forecasters predict temperatures of up to 35C next week
Running through the springs: A woman runs through the jets of a fountain at the Southbank in London as temperatures in the capital reached a high of 29.5C at Heathrow The Mineral Products Association, the body representing quarrying and mining in Britain, yesterday said it will be hosting a summit to discuss public safety at disused sites. On Tuesday, Jordon Graham, 21, is thought to have fallen to his death while sunbathing on the roof of a friend’s third-storey flat in Consett, County Durham. And a Royal Mail postman died of a suspected heart attack on his round during the hot weather on Monday. Married Graham Bennett, 47, collapsed in the 25C (77F) temperatures. He had worked at his Lincoln depot for 29 years and is thought to have swapped his normal desk job for a delivery round when a colleague had a day off. A four-week-old baby was admitted with sunburn at the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, West Sussex. The prediction of 35C (95F) next week was made by forecasters MeteoGroup. It tweeted: ‘Mid-30s possible next week’ – making the UK hotter than anywhere in Europe and even more so than Greece or Italy.
Diving in: Teenagers jump into the harbour at Carnlough in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland, as the summer heatwave continues across the UK
Leap of faith: A group of young boys can be seen lining up along a bridge in Cardiff to jump into the River Taff Britain last saw temperatures this high in 2006, when 36.3C (97.3F) was recorded at Charlwood, Surrey – breaking a century-old record. The hottest temperature recorded yesterday was 30.4C (86.7F) in Herne, Dorset – making it the 13th consecutive day that the mercury has topped 28C (82F) and the sixth that it has topped 30C (86F). But there may finally be a good reason to be thankful for last year’s washout summer. It has kept supplies so high that there are no plans by water companies for rationing or a hosepipe ban. The level three weather alert was extended to include South-West England and the West Midlands, as well as the South East and London. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has called for a 'pragmatic' approach to working conditions but said no one could be reasonably expected to work in an office at 35C.
A group of young boys jump into the River Taff from a bridge in Cardiff during the hot weather with one landing head-first in the water, pictured right
Under cover: Spectators watch the first round of the 142nd Open Championship under cloudy skies at Muirfield in Gullane, Scotland
Weather alerts: The Met Office yesterday issued a level three alert (represented by the colour orange) for the second day running - while the areas highlighted in yellow have been issued a level two warning and the areas in green a level one alert Mr Clegg said: 'The problem we face as a country is these things are unpredictable. 'We have a whole system, the whole way we work, our offices, buses everything, isn't actually designed for these sudden spikes in temperature. In countries that are used to hot temperatures they organise themselves differently, or indeed very cold winters.'
Heat map: This image shows temperature levels across the UK - with nowhere falling lower than around 17C 'We are not ready for this. I have to say, 35 degrees, that is pretty brutal. 'You do need to be careful, particularly if you are frail, if you are recovering from illnesses, if you are elderly, the very young.' The roads haven't fared much better in the heatwave with motorways melting and cars struggling to cope in the scorching weather. The AA has seen overheating-related call-outs jump more than 50 per cent since the warm weather began and looks set to exceed the 840,000 breakdowns it attended last summer. As a result, they will have extra patrols on duty and have temporarily relocated some to holiday hotspots in time for the Summer holidays. Tony Rich, AA patrol of the year, said: 'Over the last fortnight, most drivers will have seen cars stuck at the roadside with bonnets open. 'It's not that they aren't designed to cope - great effort and cost goes into their design - it's usually down to driver neglect. 'When it's hot enough to melt roads and buckle rails, any underlying issues can be quickly exposed, so do the basic checks before departing including the coolant level and operation of the cooling fan. 'It's much better to discover a car problem at home, rather than in the outside lane of a motorway when the engine overheats.' Meanwhile, hotels in London have been forced to shut off rooms as temperatures inside have soared in the heatwave. A Travelodge spokesman said: 'The comfort of our customers is our number one priority. 'Therefore as the temperatures have increased this month we have made a business decision to take ten rooms offline at our Bethnal Green Travelodge hotel - as these rooms are located on the same floor as the hotel’s plant room. 'No customers or room bookings have been affected in response to this decision and the hotel is operating as normal.' The heatwave has also caused trees to shed huge boughs which are crashing down across roads, gardens and parks across the country. Experts say the extreme temperatures are 'stressing out' the trees which are already creaking under the weight of summer leaves and an exceptionally high crop of nuts and seeds following the freak cocktail of a cold spring and then a prolonged dry, hot spell.
Summer fun: Sun seekers make the most of the warm conditions at Scarborough beach yesterday - with some even daring to go for a paddle
Staying safe: Timea Beregszaszi, 29, from London, uses her parasol to protect herself from the sun on a day trip to Brighton beach yesterday
Water play park: Young children make the most of a water feature in Bradford city centre to splash around and cool off in the sunshine
Cooling off: Paris Riler, six, from Tyersall, stands in the water fountain in Bradford city centre yesterday as temperatures soared above 30C
Dedication: Despite the blistering heat, Marylebone cricket club members dressed in shirts and ties as waited in a queue to enter the ground before the second Ashes cricket test match between England and Australia at Lord's cricket ground in London yesterday
Ready for a day of sport: Queues along St John's Wood road on day One of the Second Investec Ashes Test at Lord's Cricket Ground in London yesterday morning
Rescue operation: Environment Agency workers use a probe to find fish trapped in pools left on the dry bed of the River Teme near Brampton Bryan, central England
Stranded: Environment Agency Fisheries Officer Laura Bullock searches the dried-up River Teme bed for stranded fish as the heatwave continues around the UK
Fishing: An Environment Agency worker displays a rescued trout as colleagues search for fish trapped in the small remaining pools on the dry bed of the River Teme near Brampton Bryan, central England At Inkpen, Berkshire, a 60ft ash tree lost two huge boughs weighing several tons each in the space of an hour as temperatures rocketed to 32C. The hot weather has caused many to seek the refuge of a sea breeze by heading to the beach. But those not living near the coast have discovered an unusual alternative - a secret stretch of sand 780ft above sea level and 60 miles inland. The beach is not signposted and is generally only known to local people who have spread the word via Twitter and Facebook. It can be found after a 40-minute walk up steep footpaths in the South Pennines hills above the village of Todmorden, West Yorkshire.
Secret beach: Holidaymakers enjoy the warm weather on Britain's highest beach located at the Gaddings Reservoir almost a 1000ft above sea level in the South Yorkshire Pennines
In the middle of nowhere: The little-known cove situated near the market town of Todmorden is a haven for local sun worshippers wanting to get away from it all
Relaxing in the sun: Kelly Weston and Nicole Marsden bask in the sunshine at the quiet beach by Gaddings Reservoir in the South Yorkshire Pennines
It doesn't get better than this: Kelly Weston and Nicole Marsden make the most of having the Gaddings Reservoir beach almost completely to themselves Located next to the Gaddings Dam, the beach is over 60 miles from the nearest sea and a half-hour walk from the closest village. Despite its remote location visitors have been surging to the triangular inlet of sand during the heatwave armed with beachwear, lilos and buckets and spades. Sun-worshipper Lauren Hurst, 24, works at the nearest pub, the Shepherd's Rest, three miles away. She has lived in Todmorden all of her life but only visited the beach for the first time last week and has fallen in love with it. DEATH TOLL OF THE HOT WEATHERUp to 760 people have lost their lives during Britain's blistering heatwave with figures set to rise, experts warn. A heatwave death toll has been calculated by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) for The Times. Researchers used temperature data supplied by the Met Office and compared the figures with previous studies conducted on deaths during heatwaves in Britain. They found that between 540 and 760 people will have perished in England alone during the first nine days of the heatwave and warn the figures could easily double in the coming days. It comes as police and fire chiefs reiterated warnings about escaping the heat by swimming in open water after four people died in separate incidents on Tuesday. A 16-year-old boy and a 41-year-old man, from King's Lynn, were found dead in unrelated incidents in lakes at Bawsey Pits, Norfolk. A man, believed to be a 21-year-old from Shropshire, died after getting into difficulties near the confluence of the Rivers Dee and Ceiriog on the Shropshire-north Wales border. And a 40-year-old woman from Saltash died following what police called a 'medical episode' while swimming in the sea at Seaton, near Torpoint in eastern Cornwall. Justas Juzenas, 22, drowned at Gullet Quarry, a stretch of water near Malvern, Worcestershire, where 17-year-old Russell O'Neill died on Saturday July 6. Last Wednesday the body of 14-year-old Hollie McClymont was recovered from the sea near Barry Island in Wales. The teenager, who was on a family holiday, had been seen three days earlier getting into difficulty while swimming off Whitmore Bay. Authorities in Northern Ireland last month announced the launch of a new campaign to highlight the dangers of disused quarries after a man drowned in a vain bid to rescue a teenage boy in Co Down. Colin Polland was trying to save to save 15-year-old Kevin O'Hare, who had got into difficulties when swimming in an isolated quarry near Annalong, but both died. Lauren said: 'I have been to the beach three times in the past week, and although I knew it was there I didn't know how nice it actually was. Even though it's relatively quiet during the week, the beach is absolutely packed with local people on a weekend.' Janet Sefton, 55, landlady at the pub, said the beach is almost as popular with residents as nearby seaside destination Blackpool. She said: 'We have seen families absolutely pack the beach out recently, with barbecues and canoes being brought up to the spot. It's incredible that we have a beach so high up and miles away from the nearest coast. 'It does take a good walk to get to the beach, and it's not for the faint hearted but it is totally worth it in the end. It's a fantastic spot and such a unique and secluded beach, and it brings us great trade to our pub from visitors to the area.' Gaddings Dam is approximately four acres and contains 100,000 cubic metres of water. The dam has been emptied in the past but by the 1960s was full again and has remained so ever since. The sand in the north-east corner is thought to be naturally occurring, as sandstone dominates the local geology. Another theory is the sand was a by-product of dressing the stones for the dam's wall. The blistering temperatures have already caused hundreds or deaths with many more people at risk over the next few days. Meanwhile a heatwave death toll calculated by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) for The Times suggests that up to 760 people have perished so far in the hot weather. Researchers used temperature data supplied by the Met Office and compared the figures with previous studies conducted on deaths during heatwaves in Britain. They found that between 540 and 760 people will have perished in England alone during the first nine days of the heatwave and warn the figures could easily double in the coming days. Ben Armstrong, professor in epidemiological statistics at LSHTM, said: 'Data has shown a real risk of increased deaths when temperatures go above 26C. A lot of evidence has been pulled together that the risk in London for instance is greatest when it is above 32C (89F) in the day and above 18C at night' Even if temperatures drop below 26C over the coming days, the heat still poses a significant risk to those with pre-existing conditions. Professor Virginia Murray, head of extreme events and health protection at Public Health England, said: 'The risk of death and illness really concerns us. 'Those with pre-existing illnesses are at much greater risk of not being able to cope with heat. It's much harder for them to cope with cooling.'
Chilling out: Sun lovers flocked to beaches in Littlehampton and Worthing, West Sussex, pictured, to lie on the sand or go for a dip in the sea
On duty: A lifeguard sitting in the shade of an umbrella at Littlehampton beach in West Sussex watches swimmers cooling off in the sea
Decked out: A member of the public relaxes in a deck chair on Littlehampton beach in West Sussex as the Met Office issued a 'level three' weather warning for the region
Enjoying the view: Two beach-goers shaded by their own personal umbrellas watch swimmers take a dip along the coast near Littlehampton, West Sussex As the hot weather continues, the Met Office ramped up their heatwave warnings across the country. The system is overseen by Public Health England, a Department of Health agency, in a bid to reduce the health impact of the current run of stifling temperatures across the UK. DEODORANT AND PADDLING POOL SALES SOARSales of sleep aids and dog paddling pools are soaring as the heatwave looks set to enter another week. Superdrug said sales of sleep aids were up 41 per cent on the same week last year, while sales of deodorants were up 17.5 per cent. Amazon said sales of dog paddling pools had surged ten-fold in the past four weeks, while a brand of dog sun wipes were up 295 per cent and sales of a sunscreen were up 260 per cent in a day. Amazon pet supplies spokesman Paul Dore said: 'The British are known as a nation of animal lovers and due to the scorching weather, this means that when the kids get a new paddling pool, so does the four legged friend.' John Lewis said sales of fans and portable air conditioning units were up 2,800 per cent week on week and sales of paddling pools were up 1,884 per cent on last year and 60 per cent week on week. John Lewis outdoor living buyer Nicola Gidlow said: 'Last July was the coldest for 100 years, so this year's heatwave is a complete turnaround. 'In Britain you never know when your next chance to get out in the sun might be, so it's important to make the best of the weather while it lasts.' Waitrose said it had seen its highest frozen food sales on record in a normal trading week. The supermarket chain's frozen food buying manager, Michael Simpson-Jones, said: 'The frozen aisle has suddenly become one of the most popular places to chill out as shoppers try and cool down in the face of scorching temperatures outside. 'Some of the appeal is clearly down to the colossal demands for ice creams and lollies. But with average temperatures this week nearing 30 degrees, our freezer aisles have also become a popular place for shoppers to keep their cool.' Sales of ice lollies were up by 310 per cent, Waitrose said. A level three warning is triggered as soon as the Met Office forecasts that there is a 90 per cent chance of temperatures being high enough on at least two consecutive days to have significant effects on health. These vary according to the area, but the average temperature is 30C during the day and 15C overnight. A decision on what level of warning is in place for each of nine English regions is made every morning from the beginning of June to mid-September by a team of forecasters in the Heat Health Watch Service at the Met Office. Dr Angie Bone, Heatwave Plan lead for PHE, said: 'In this continued hot weather, it's important to remember that high temperatures can be dangerous, especially for people who may be vulnerable such as older people, young children and those with serious illnesses. 'During very hot weather, pregnant women and people who have chronic illnesses, including cardiovascular, respiratory, renal conditions, diabetes or Parkinson's disease, may experience discomfort if indoor temperatures are particularly hot and in using public transport. 'Employers should ensure indoor areas are kept cool and consider allowing these individuals to travel to or from their place of work during cooler, or less busy, times of the day. 'For those working or exercising outdoors, strenuous physical exertion during the hottest part of the day should be kept to a minimum. 'The key message for healthy individuals is to follow public health messages on how to enjoy the sun safely by staying cool, drinking lots of cold fluids and checking on those you know are at risk.' But despite the scorching heat in the last few days, it has not been quite enough to nudge last year's record reading of 32.4C, recorded in Cavendish on August 18. A summer heatwave in 2003 caused 15,000 'excess deaths' in France, so many that morgues ran out of space. That same summer Britain recorded 2,000 excess deaths during a 10‑day heatwave. Under a level three warning carers are urged to check on vulnerable people and health staff are told to help and advise clients including access to cool rooms, close monitoring of vulnerable individuals, reducing room temperatures with shading, turning off unnecessary lights and equipment and ensuring discharge planning takes the extreme temperatures into account.
Out at sea: A kayaker explores the coastline by Southsea seafront in Portsmouth as forecasters predicted the heatwave will last until the end of next week
By the seaside: A couple find a prime spot on the beach at Southsea, Hampshire, as a yacht sails past in the distance
On the rocks: An early bird grabs the best spot on the beach on the seafront in Portsmouth
Hot running: A jogger stops for a drink of water on the seafront in Portsmouth where there isn't a single cloud in the sky A level four warning is classified as a major incident where the stifling temperatures continue for so long it could even affect infrastructure, such as transport and power. It comes as new figures released yesterday show this month could be the driest July in 250 years with Britain's biggest water companies yesterday urging customers not to waste water. Severn Trent, Affinity, South East and Yorkshire have all experienced a huge increased demand for water as temperatures soar - prompting the companies to ask customers to ration their water. FAMILIES IN HIGH-RISE FLATS LEFT WITH NO WATER FOR FIVE DAYS DURING HEATWAVEFamilies living in a block of high-rise flats have been left without water for five days during the sweltering heatwave after a pipe burst. Around 100 people have had to collect water in buckets from one tap outside the City View apartment block in Higher Broughton, Salford, Manchester, since the incident on Friday. Engineers struggled to fix the problem over the weekend - meaning as temperatures peaked at 30 degrees, residents in 84 flats have had no running water to drink, wash, cook with or to flush their toilets.
Residents of City View apartments in Salford, queue to fill up buckets and bottles after a pipe burst on Friday - leaving the whole building without water Karen Thomas, who lives on the 11th floor of the 14-storey block on Highclere Avenue said: 'It’s disgusting. There are families living in the block with babies, and we can’t have a shower, can’t do any washing, and the toilets aren’t working. 'I can’t believe it’s taking them several days to fix it. We are having to carry buckets of water in the lift to our flats from the tap outside - it’s like living in a third world country.'
Director of Block Property Management Mark Habib, which runs the building, said that although the source of the leak was fixed on Friday, the water isolation valve had been damaged while turning off the water to isolate the leak. Engineers at contractors Mitie tried to replace the valve on Monday, but were unable to. Attempts to temporarily repair the problem also failed. He added: 'Block Property Management Limited offers its sincere apologies and assures them that it has done everything in its power to have this issue resolved. We realise that all residents are extremely unhappy about this situation and thank the majority of the residents for their support and patience.' A spokeswoman from United Utilities confirmed that as the leak was within a private property, it was the responsibility of the property’s owners to fix the pipe. Mitie refused to comment. Severn Trent has requested customers don't water their gardens overnight as reservoirs aren't refilling as 'much as we'd like'. Marcus O'Kane, water resources manager for Severn Trent said: 'This weekend, in addition to what our customers would normally use, we supplied an extra 350 million litres of water - that's enough to fill 175,000 children's paddling pools. Our water stocks are still looking healthy for the time of year and we are working night and day in these exceptionally hot weather conditions to get that water to our customers. 'We have a huge network of pipes and storage reservoirs across our region that allows us to move water around to where it's needed. These reservoirs need to refill during the night – that's the way they're designed so our customers have water available when they get up in the morning. 'Because some customers are leaving hosepipes or sprinklers running overnight, we are not seeing these reservoirs refill as much as we'd like, which means there's less water available in the morning. Therefore some of our customers are seeing lower pressure than normal and there is more risk if we have a problem somewhere on our network.' South East Water meanwhile has asked customers to leave their lawns to look after themselves. A spokesman said: 'In this hot weather the important thing is to keep yourself and those plants that really need the water hydrated – but leave your lawn to look after itself, nature is a wonderful thing and it will bounce back when the rain inevitably returns. 'Our stores of untreated water remain healthy and are at the levels expected for this time of year.' Affinity Water, which is the largest water-only supplier in the UK servicing areas including Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Surrey, and some boroughs of London, has seen its water demand soar by 27 per cent. An Affinity Water spokesperson said: 'With the current hot weather, Affinity Water has experienced a large increase in demand for water from its 3.5 million customers of up to 27 per cent at peak times in some areas. This has resulted in some of our customers experiencing lower water pressures than normal at certain times during the day. 'We have increased the production and storage of water to meet this extra demand, in accordance with our plans for warm weather. We are closely monitoring our network to respond to anticipated demand and changes in it by supplying customers through alternative areas of our network and improving localised pressure. Whilst our water resources are fine and we do not plan to introduce any water restrictions for 2013, we would ask our customers to continue to use water wisely.' There has been just 4mm of rain in England and Wales so far this month and the country is on course to see the driest July since records began in 1766 - as long as the good summer weather holds for another two weeks. The driest July ever recorded was in 1825 when just 8mm of rain fell. Britain as a whole has only seen 9.2mm of rainfall so far this month, which is just 12 per cent of the July average of 34.6mm. Scotland has seen the most rainfall so far with 16.8mm, but that is only 17 per cent of the monthly average. 'England and Wales have seen just 4mm of rain this month', a Met Office spokesman said. 'But it's too early to judge where it will end up in the record'. But there is no need for a hosepipe ban yet, as the the soggy summer last year has kept water stores high. The heatwave has brought a 15 per cent rise in the demand for tap water in London and the Thames Valley, the region's main supplier said. Thames Water's nine million customers have been using around 400million litres a day in addition to the 2.6billion litres they usually get through, but there are currently no fears of shortages, the company said Trevor Bishop, head of water resources at the Environment Agency, said: 'Last year's exceptionally wet summer and autumn has left us in a fairly good water resources position, with most rivers, reservoirs and underground water stores around normal for the time of year. 'Some river levels are dropping as a result of the hot, dry spell that we are enjoying, and we would urge everyone to continue use water wisely, to protect water supplies and the environment.' Meanwhile reports of dogs being left in cars with windows closed in the sweltering conditions have prompted warnings from the police.
Getting prepped: Festival goers arrive on site for the start of the Latitude Festival at Henham Park in Southwold, Suffolk, yesterday
Perfect conditions: Music lovers at the Latitude Festival will see the weather stay in the high 20s over the weekend with a slight breeze to cool them down
Stripping off: Londoners stripped down to their bikinis as they sunbathed on the Princess Diana Memorial in Hyde Park yesterday afternoon Kent Police received five reports of dogs left in cars in the hot temperatures on Tuesday. Police said leaving a window open is not enough to prevent a dog from dying in the heat. In one incident, firefighters and the RSPCA rescued a dog in a distressed state after it was left in a car with a window partially open at a shopping centre in Ashford. Pc Michael Laidlow said: 'Dogs can die in hot cars and should not be left for even a short time. Leaving a window open won't keep the car cool enough. 'Dog owners are reminded that they have a legal duty of care for their animal and can be prosecuted for putting their pets at risk.' But one dog owner Mark Robinson found a unique way to help his pet Kim cool down - by taking her out on a paddleboard on Willen Lake in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.
Grass fires: Fire fighters battle bush fires on Mitcham Common yesterday afternoon as the hot weather has caused grass and fields to dry and become flammable
Ferocious: The blaze covered an area the size of four football pitches and took 15 fire fighters to put it out
Hot weather: The warmest ever July day was in July 2006 when temperatures reached 36.5C in Wisley, Surrey Now watch the video Hot but not bothered: MailOnline readers go out and enjoy the sunBritain is basking in the first prolonged heatwave since 2006 - and judging by these pictures MailOnline readers are certainly making the most of it. We have been asking you to send in your pictures of the summer sun across Britain. Here are the best of them. If you have pictures you have taken today that you want to appear here, then email them to mailonlinepictures@dailymail.co.uk.
Walking on water: Chris Coates, from Morecambe Lancashire, submitted this image of a mother and son walk in the River Kent, Kendal, after the blistering heatwave has caused water levels to drop
Joint effort: Chris Coates submitted this photo of two dogs carrying a large tree branch into River Kent, Kendal, yesterday
Making a splash: Oscar, aged two, throws water over his father in the paddling pool in his garden in Horley, Surrey. The photo was sent in by his mother Emma Lopez
Bournemouth sun: Anna Zienkovicz (right) and her friend Lydia get outside and enjoy the excellent weather
Bright day: Jane Dean took this picture of swans at Christchurch Quay in Dorset of the swans. She said: 'Reminds me of the hot summer of '76 - long may it continue'
Twins Seren and Bethany Rose, aged two, of Saundersfoot, Wales, cool off in the garden in tubs of water
Beach day: A group of children enjoy the summer sunshine on the beach in Bournemouth yesterday
Suntan and a beer: Drinkers in Brel bar in Glasgow get free suntan lotion with beer in the hot weather
Summer sun: Baby Louie, aged eight months, cools off in his garden
Hot dog: Border Collie Moss (left) and Border terrier Lexi (right) at Blue Cross rehoming centre in Burford, Oxfordshire
Dogs in the pool: Pugs Oscar and Coco cool off in St Ives, Cambridgeshire
Rubber duck race: Ducks are let out on the river at Upavon Village Fete in Wiltshire
Beautiful Britain: A view across the beach at Saltash in Cornwall yesterday as the country enjoys the warmest day of the year so far
London sunshine: Aimee Hewer, Emma Kirby, Gina Davoile and Hayley Murphy, all aged 23, in Battersea Park, central London
Canoes in the sun: These people enjoy the weather as they paddle Lancaster Canal
Idyllic scene: A couple cruise down Lancaster Canal in a boat as the country enjoyed the hottest day of the year
Too hot: A female blackbird cools off in a bird bath in Roy Wilson's back garden in The Wirral, Cheshire
| In some parts of the northern hemisphere, the hottest days of summer have already set records this year, in others, the highest temperatures are yet to come. The sunshine brings people outdoors, to cool off at the beach, on a high mountain peak, or in a park fountain. Gathered here are a handful of images of Summer 2013, from Alaska to Ukraine, Egypt, Death Valley, and more.
On a hot summer day, a girl stands surrounded by the jets of a fountain on the South Bank in central London, on July 15, 2013.(Reuters/Andrew Winning)
Mike Bouse of Henderson, Nevada, shades himself with an umbrella as he floats in the waters along Boulder Beach at Lake Mead, on June 29, 2013 near Boulder City, Nevada. Bouse and his wife planned to spend most of the day in and out of the water to escape the heat in the Las Vegas area where the daytime high was expected to reach 117 degrees, the city's all-time high. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) #
A woman reads a book as she rests in a public garden on a sunny summer afternoon near the Eiffel Tower in Paris, on July 12, 2013.(Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes) #
Surfers ride waves at Shonan beach in Fujisawa city, west of Tokyo, on July 15, 2013. A heat wave continued throughout Japan as temperature sores to 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) in the Tokyo metropolitan area. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) #
Lightning from a tornadic thunderstorm passing over Clearwater, Kansas strikes at an open field, on May 19, 2013.(Reuters/Gene Blevins) #
A hiker makes his way along the Mount Roberts Trail above Juneau, Alaska, on a sunny day, July 14, 2013. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer) #
A young boy cools off in the water from a playground sprinkler in Brooklyn, New York, on July 15, 2013. Temperatures are set to top out in the mid-90s degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius) through Thursday in New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., with heat index values that measure humidity reaching into the upper-90s and low-100s F. (Reuters/Brendan McDermid) #
A hotel guest rests in the pool of the Marina Bay Sands Skypark in front of the hazy skyline of Singapore June 17, 2013. The haze worsened on Monday with the Polluntant Standards Index (PSI) hitting 111 at 4pm, according to local media. (Reuters/Edgar Su) #
A line of fire runs across the forest floor as a wildfire burns in Black Forest, Colorado, on June 12, 2013. Fire crews battled a wind-whipped wildfire that burned at least 80 homes near Colorado Springs, while another blaze shut one of the state's top tourist attractions and forced the evacuation of more than 900 inmates from a prison. (Reuters/Rick Wilking) #
A surfer jumps over the back of a wave at Fistral Beach in Newquay, England, on July 5, 2013. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images) #
Children cool off in a fountain in a public park in Madrid, on June 22, 2013. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki) #
Fans cheer while waiting for British singer Rita Ora to perform during the Isle of MTV Malta concert in Floriana, outside Valletta, on June 26, 2013. (Reuters/Darrin Zammit Lupi) #
Double amputee Chris Moon of the U.K. runs in the AdventurCORPS Badwater 135 ultra-marathon race on July 15, 2013 in Death Valley National Park, California. Billed as the toughest footrace in the world, the 36th annual Badwater 135 starts at Badwater Basin in Death Valley, 280 feet below sea level, where athletes begin a 135-mile non-stop run over three mountain ranges in extreme mid-summer desert heat to finish at 8,350 feet above sea level near Mount Whitney for a total cumulative vertical ascent of 13,000 feet.(David McNew/Getty Images) #
Randy Kern (left) and John Rice dress as Star Wars characters for their own annual snapshot tradition near an unofficial thermometer at Furnace Creek Visitors Center reading of 131 degrees, believed by officials to be about three degree on the high side, as a heat wave spreads across the American West on June 30, 2013 in Death Valley National Park, California. Weather forecasters predicted high temperatures could reach 130 degrees in Death Valley, breaking the hottest-ever temperature for June of 128 degrees, set on June 29, 1994. It is also just four degrees shy of breaking the all-time world record of 134 degrees which occurred here 100 years ago on July 10, 2013. (David McNew/Getty Images) #
Joe Zhoe waits for an ice cream cone with his daughter Joe Anne Zhoe in the Lower East Side neighborhood of New York City on June 25, 2013. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images) #
A man cleans the balcony of a high-rise luxury residential apartment in the washed out background of the sea in Singapore's central business district, on June 21, 2013. Haze from fires in Indonesia blanketing Singapore could persist for weeks or longer, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said, as the smoke drove air quality to "hazardous" levels and disrupted business and travel in the region.(Reuters/Edgar Su) #
Russia's President Vladimir Putin, seen through the glass of C-Explorer 5 submersible after a dive to see the remains of the naval frigate "Oleg", which sank in the 19th century, in the Gulf of Finland in the Baltic Sea, on July 15, 2013.(Reuters/Aleksey Nikolskyi/RIA Novosti/Kremlin) #
The Sagrada Familia cathedral in the background as an unidentified diver practices ahead of the FINA World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, on July 15, 2013. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) #
Jai, a tiger at the Phoenix Zoo, breaks apart frozen trout while sitting in his pool to keep cool, on June 28, 2013 in Phoenix.(AP Photo/Matt York) #
A young girl is silhouetted is she dances in the spraying waters of Salmon Street Springs fountain on a hot day in Portland, Oregon, on June 28, 2013.(AP Photo/Don Ryan) #
Crowds fill the beach near Brighton Pier during the hot, sunny weather in Brighton Southern England, on July 7, 2013.(Reuters/Luke MacGregor) #
A couple relax in the hot sunny weather as deer pass in Richmond Park in southwest London, on July 13, 2013.(Reuters/Luke MacGregor) #
A woman swims during an Independence Day party at Union Beach, New Jersey, on July 3, 2013. (Reuters/Eric Thayer) #
A Ukrainian woman smiles as she participates in the celebration of the traditional Ivana Kupala (Ivan the Bather) holiday near Kiev, on July 6, 2013. The ancient tradition, originating from pagan times, is usually marked in Ukraine with grand overnight festivities. During the Ivana Kupala, people jump over burning campfires and bathe in a lake or a river, as they believe it will purge them of their sins and make them healthier. (Reuters/Gleb Garanich) #
Boys run in the river Nile on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt, on May 6, 2013. (Reuters/Asmaa Waguih) #
People walk through an area of Death Valley known as the Devils Golf Course in 116-degree and rising temperatures as a heat wave spreads across the American West on June 30, 2013 in Death Valley National Park, California. (David McNew/Getty Images) #
In Seattle, kite fliers work to keep their craft airborne under blue skies, in view of the Space Needle atop Kite Hill in Gas Works Park Wednesday, on July 3, 2013. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) #
A man watches fireworks as he takes a bath in the Mediterranean Sea on San Juan's night, which traditionally is the shortest night of the year, in the southern Spanish town of Malaga, early June 24, 2013. (Reuters/Jon Nazca) Wheelbarrow races, nurses on a helter skelter and a 'bathing beauties' parade: Glorious photos show how Britain dealt with heatwaves in the past
Splashing about in the water, playing on the sand, sitting on deckchairs and cooling off from the sweltering heat with the garden hose. These glorious photographs from the 1920s and 1930s show that while the outfits have changed, many ways of enjoying the sun are still rather similar. The newspapers showed what life was like in Scotland and the South West of England during heatwaves experienced by Britain almost 100 years ago.
Wet wet wet: The Western Daily Press of Bristol from July 1929 showed youngsters finding 'a new use for the garden hose' and proving that 'you can have a "bathe" without going to the seaside' They are taken from the British Newspaper Archive and come as temperatures in Britain are expected to hit a seven-year high of 35C next week. The Western Daily Press and Bristol Mirror of August 1935 showed ‘competitors in the Bathing Beauty Competition’ in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. The women were photographed walking along in a line in modest outfits with the council chairman and local hospital president at Weston Hospital Fete. Another picture from the same newspaper gave the rather bizarre sight of six nurses from Weston-super-Mare Hospital coming down a helter skelter. And in The Courier and Advertiser of Dundee from July 1931, a group of five adults and children could be seen playing rounders on the beach. The caption said: ‘An exciting game of rounders, complete with the regulation costume - beach pyjamas or bathing costume - on North Berwick beach’.The Western Daily Press of Bristol from July 1929 showed youngsters finding ‘a new use for the garden hose’ by bathing 'without going to the seaside’. It also pictured a group of youngsters around a fountain, ‘waiting their turn' in a 'heatwave scene on Durdham Down’ in Bristol. And the Western Morning News and Daily Gazette from August 1932 showed the ‘Opening of Salcombe Regatta’ as the ‘West swelters in heatwave’. It also featured a child playing with a bucket of water in the sand, people sitting in deckchairs and children jumping into the water on beaches in Plymouth. The same newspaper also showed scenes four years later in August 1936 of girls and boys having fun while taking part in a wheelbarrow race. They were pictured in Perranporth, Cornwall, and their photograph was under the newspaper’s headline of: ‘Heatwave frolics on the beach’.
Fashionable: The Western Daily Press and Bristol Mirror of August 1935 showed 'competitors in the Bathing Beauty Competition' in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset
'Frolics': The Western Morning News and Daily Gazette showed scenes in August 1936 of girls and boys having plenty of fun in a wheelbarrow race
'Costumes for rounders': In The Courier and Advertiser of Dundee from July 1931, a group of five adults and children could be seen playing rounders on the beach
Hot hot hot: The Western Morning News and Daily Gazette from August 1932 showed the 'Opening of Salcombe Regatta' as the 'West swelters in heatwave'
Bikinis have been shrinking at a faster and faster pace in recent years, with some now resembling little more than a few strings of dental floss. But incredible pictures of seaside holidays 100 years ago shows how people used to frolic in the sand in near head-to-toe outfits, complete with hats. Before the 1900s women hit the waves in full gowns and bloomers but the impracticality of this meant that the all-in-one fitted beach suit began to be introduced for women as well as men.
The swimming champions of England in November 1919, wearing the streamlined swimwear of the day (L-R: S F Sawcroft, Gladys Jones, Bell White, Doris Hart, Harold Anderson and tutor Walter Brickett)
Bathing belles show off the modest white cotton calf length long sleeved dresses, complete with bathing caps adorned with bobbles, on the beach at Southend-on-Sea, Essex in August 1919
A woman perches on the edge of a bathing machine parked in shallow sea on Ostend beach in July 1911
Bathers enjoying a splash in the sea at Ostende, Belgium in July 1880, wearing bathing caps and swimming dresses The fitted tunic often came down to the knees, and could be with or without sleeves, depending on the wearers preference. Women generally kept their hair out of the way under a hat that resemble a modern shower cap and both sexes opted for beach shoes, which they wore both in and out of the water. Heading to the beach has been a popular holiday choice for decades, ever since the expansion of the railway system made transport to the coast accessible to all. Unsurprisingly, with such extensive and cumbersome outfits to change into, beaches soon became lined with wooden bathing machines. These wooden huts were perched on top of wagons and would be wheeled down onto the beach each day to allow people to change inside them in total privacy. The swimmer could then be wheeled all the way into the water to avoid the unseemly gazes of their fellow bathers on their state of undress and allow the bather to enter the water with ease.
Ostend beach in Belgium in around 1900 when beach holidays began to become popular as the new railways allowed long distance travel at ease
A young woman emerges from her bathing machine in 1911 dressed for the beach with bathing hat and all-in-one fitted outfit that comes well down the leg
Stereoscopic photography showing a male swimmer in a full length striped swimming costume emerging from the sea on the beach of Ostend circa 1900
The bathing machines would we wheeled right down into the water to allow the bather to enter the water with ease, a reduce the stares of other bathers
Two bathers in Ostend Belgium in 1900 show that the modest outfits could still show off a woman's curves, or conceal them, depending on her preference
Girls wearing swimsuits emblazoned with 'BDSV v 1909' pose for a picture at Ostend
Bathing beauties show of the must have beach fashions in front of a portable bathing hut in Ostend, Belgium, circa 1920
A woman Bather in poses as she alights from her wheeled bathing cabin in the most fashionable suit of the period between the war, as costumes began to become more detailed and embellished
An early postcard in Ostende Belgium, which could be sent to friends and family back home as the tourism industry began to emerge
A stunning panoramic view of a beach town in 1909, revealing that women would often relax on the beach in full black skirts and corsets
Reclining bathers in the water's edge on the beach at Le Touquet Paris-Page, northern France in August 1913
Bathers have fun in the sea at Aberystwth August 1916 in the traditional swimming attire of the period
Youngsters brave the chilly water in the Thames at Weybridge in June 1914
A young women catches some sun outside her changing tent on Gorleston beach in July 1914
Bathing huts and pleasure seekers on the beach at Gorleston in July 1914: While some women chose short suits (foreground), others preferred to have ankle length cover (back right)
Two bathers play the fool at Paris Plage in August 1913 (left), and right, Miss McKay and Miss Kerr, champion swimmers for Scotland and Australia
Women bathers at the lido, Southport, Lancashire take a shower: by 1918 swimming and beach holidays were a well established vacation for families
A women wears a rather decorative hat in the sea at Ostende beach: As swimming holidays became common, beachwear became more of a way to express yourself
Bathers dance hand in hand on the beach at Plymouth, Devon in July 1921 wearing rather unusual costumes that seem to have been inspired by Grecian togas
Bathers laugh as they collect seaweed on the beach at Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire on 18th August 1916
Women dress in white in an attempt to reflect the heat as they paddle in between the moored boats at Southend-on-Sea, Essex in August 1919
Bathers outside the changing rooms at the open air baths in Chiswick, west London in August 1919
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