Britons grilled in hottest day of year

The UK people are experiencing the warmest day of the year so far on Saturday, as temperatures soar to as high as 34 degrees celsius in southern England.

The Met Office said this weekend day would be hot and dry, with plenty of strong sunshine, as a result of a bubble of Saharan air making its way across Europe.

As people flocking to seasides and water parks, police have warned not to swim in open water after the deaths of three people in 24 hours as temperatures soar.

A 12-year-old girl drowned in a river in Bury and two men died after being pulled from the sea off a beach in Torquay on Thursday, according to local media.

It is expected to be fresher and cloudier on Sunday in the west and northwest UK.

The Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said the spike in UK temperatures was not a heatwave, which is typically considered to be a hot spell lasting three days or more, like that affecting mainland Europe.

A heatwave across Europe saw France record its all-time highest temperature of 45.9 degrees celsius on Friday.