Hottest day ever

Britain baked in its highest ever temperature of 100.6°F (38.1°C) yesterday - as scientists warned that global warming will bring more heatwaves.

Gravesend in Kent reached the record figure, breaking the previous high of 98.7°F (37.1°C) set in Cheltenham during 1990.

Britain was hotter than Cairo at 98°F (37°C) , Texas which was only 89°F (32°C), while Rio de Janeiro in Brazil was a chilly 60°F (16°C).

But while the South sizzled, other parts of the country were washed out as freak storms left a trail of destruction.

Twenty people were hurt by lightning strikes, including 14 at a football match in Birmingham. The most seriously injured was a woman who suffered a heart attack.

One fisherman died and another was left fighting for his life after their boat was destroyed by a storm off the coast of Hartlepool.

Meanwhile, bookies began paying out £500,000 to punters who bet on temperatures setting a new record.

As millions enjoyed the heat, scientists warned it could confirm a trend in global warming. So far, 1998 has been the hottest year on record and six out of the ten warmest years ever seen were in the 1990s.

Experts say summers as hot as this will become routine within 50 to 70 years.

Michael Dukes, of PAWeatherCentre, said: 'Things are going to get hotter but you might have to wait several years for a heatwave of this intensity again.'