Feeling the heat: Marathon runners swelter in soaring temperatures
Runners have to cope with warm weather as UK becomes as hot as the Mediterranean
Scotland was the only part of the UK not to experience the warmest day of the year on Sunday.
But it will have been little in the way of cold comfort for the thousands of runners who pounded the pavements for the Edinburgh Marathon Festival.
In the city-to-coast route, participants dealt with sweltering heat that hit 21 degrees around lunchtime.
England, Wales and Northern Ireland all had their warmest days of the year today but Scotland did not.
The marathon - the second largest in the UK - took place as the UK became as hot as the Mediterranean on Sunday.
Forecasters said the “historic” temperatures may break records for the hottest bank holiday Monday.
Britons saw the hottest day of the year so far on Saturday when temperatures of 30.5C were recorded in Kent, however Monday’s temperatures are expected to soar even higher to 34C in Greater London and across South East England.
For a heatwave to be declared, temperatures must exceed a threshold above the "normal" climate for three consecutive days.
The Met Office said heatwave conditions have now been met in eight parts of England; Heathrow in Greater London, Benson in Oxfordshire, Brooms Barn in Suffolk, High Beech in Essex, Kew Gardens in London, Northolt in London, Santon Downham in Suffolk and Writtle in Essex.
The Met Office also said that Santon Downham was the first location to meet the criteria at around 11.30am and its heatwave threshold is 27C for three consecutive days.
It was closely followed by Heathrow at around 11.50am, whose criteria is three consecutive days at 28C.
Temperatures in that area have since climbed further to 30C.
A Met Office spokeswoman said: “We rarely see temperatures above 35C, even in the summer months, so to see temperatures getting close to 35 in May is pretty historic.”
Saturday was the first time this year that the UK had passed 30C.
The last time that happened in May was in 2012.
The exception is in the North West of Scotland where bank holiday Monday will be breezier and damper with thicker clouds.
Animals at London Zoo who are used to milder temperatures have been given ice lollies to keep cool in the boiling hot temperatures, a spokesperson said.
Predators are being fed blood-based ice lollies, otters are snacking on ice lollies made of frozen shrimp and crayfish and gorillas are hydrating on lollies made from fruit teas.
At Chester Zoo, Andean bears have been fed ice blocks to ensure they stay hydrated and keep cool.
The top three females in the Edinburgh Marathon were: Melissah Gibson (Ealing Eagles RC) - 02:43:55; Ashleigh Harvie - 02:51:52; Susan Stead (LG Aachen I Erdinger Active Team - 02:53:55.
The top three males were: Conor Sarsfield (Helsby RC) - 02:18:04; Calum Phillip (Central Athletics Club) - 02:28:39; Shaun Cumming (East Sutherland Athletics Club) - 02:30:19.
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