UK sizzles through hottest day of year

LONDON (AP) — Britain sweltered through the hottest day of the year yesterday, as an unusual heatwave wreaked havoc on transport and hospitals in a country more known for rain than sunshine.

The mercury peaked at 35 degrees Celsius at London’s Heathrow Airport, smashing this year’s record of 34.5 degrees Celsius set on June 21. Saturday is likely to be hotter still, with predictions that the all-time record of 38.5 degrees Celsius set in 2003 will be smashed as a weak jet stream traps heat inland.

Passengers on the Eurotunnel, which connects Britain and France, endured five-hour delays with no air conditioning.

Hospitals, many of which have wards without air conditioning, heaved under the strain. The Royal College of Nursing said high temperatures were leaving nurses dizzy and exhausted.

“Nurses are now becoming patients themselves due to the heat,” said Kim Sunley, a union representative, adding that one nurse ended up in the emergency room because of dehydration after working long hours.

Many parts of the country have seen no rainfall for weeks. The Met Office said rising temperatures will be driven by a tropical plume due to sweep into Britain from Africa and Europe on Saturday.

London issued a high pollution alert, and fire officials called for a ban on barbeques in parks. Authorities warned drivers not to throw trash along the roadside amid a surge in grassfires.