In Pictures: Britain swelters as temperatures soar

PA Wire

Sun worshippers were out in force on beaches and at sporting events as the mercury rose and the UK recorded the hottest day of the year so far for the third day in a row.

The Met Office said temperatures reached 30.7C (82F) at Heathrow just after midday on Friday.

Sunseekers flocked to Bournemouth beach in Dorset (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)

Relaxing in the hot weather on Bournemouth beach (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)

The highest recorded June temperature in the UK was 35.6C (95F) at Southampton Mayflower Park in June 1976, and forecasters do not expect the record to be surpassed this week.

Cars queue up to park at Boscombe Beach in Dorset (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)

A packed Boscombe Beach in Dorset (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)

People scooter past a sign at Boscombe Beach (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)

Away from the beaches, city lidos such as London Fields Lido, in Hackney, east London were an ideal spot to spend a sunny morning.

Staff member David Jimenez puts up a sun umbrella as people take to the water for an early morning cool down at London Fields Lido, in Hackney (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Wire)

A swimmer enjoys a dip at London Fields Lido (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Wire)

This year’s Royal Ascot could come close to the hottest on record, forecasters have said.

Predicted high temperatures have meant men in all enclosures at Ascot were allowed to remove their jackets and ties once the traditional royal carriage procession had ended on the fourth day of racing.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were the main attraction in the Royal Procession during day four of Royal Ascot (Aaron Chown/PA) (PA Wire)

Kate and William take in the sights of the racecourse (PA Wire)

Peter Phillips and Lindsay Wallace arrive at Ascot (David Davies/PA) (PA Wire)

A racegoer makes their way to the racecourse with a food cooler ahead of day four of Royal Ascot (David Davies/PA) (PA Wire)

Racegoers capture their finery on film (David Davies/PA) (PA Wire)

The car park was turned into a makeshift picnic ground in the morning with tables decorated with clothes and silver cutlery (David Davies/PA) (PA Wire)

A group enjoys a sunny carriage ride ahead of the fourth day of racing (Adam Davy/PA) (PA Wire)

Animals found ways of cooling off too.

Nobby the polar bear took a refreshing dip in a pool at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster.

Nobby the polar bear cools down at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park (Danny Lawson/PA) (PA Wire)

Workers sweltered in cities across the UK and heat-health alerts were issued for parts of England.

Network Rail warned services could be disrupted because of the heat, which can cause overhead wires to sag and the steel rails to buckle.

Workers in the capital take a minute in the sunshine (Ian West/PA) (PA Wire)

A woman uses an umbrella to shade herself from the sun in Green Park, London (Dominic Lipinski/PA) (PA Wire)