A climbing column was unveiled on Thursday outside Selfridges — as London prepared to bask in highs of 32C.
The 40-foot column, designed in reference to the façade of the Oxford Street store, will be available to climb from Friday as part of Selfridges’ Sportopia summer of sport event.
It came as the temperature in London was also on the climb. A high of 27C was predicted for Thursday before reaching 32C on Friday.
That would make it the hottest day of the year so far — exceeding the current high of 30.3C recorded at Heathrow on June 26. It would also make it hotter than Ibiza, which the Met Office predicts will reach 28C on Friday, and warmer than Barcelona which is forecast to be 30C.
It will be welcome news to many, following a cold and drizzly start to the summer and a week that has seen Britain battered by rain and floods. A cooler weekend is expected to follow, with highs of 28C and some showers possible on Saturday.
However, a yellow heat-health alert has been issued amid the rising temperatures. The alert is in place from 5pm on Thursday and remains in place until 11pm on Saturday. The warning, issued by the UK Health Security Agency and the Met Office, is also set for the East Midlands, the South-East and eastern England.
A yellow alert is issued when vulnerable people, such as the elderly and those will multiple health conditions, could struggle in the heat and may need health and social care.
The UK experienced its wettest spring since 1986 and the sixth wettest on record.
People will be able to book to climb the column outside Selfridges until August 26. More information is available here.
