Heatwave in Britain claims 2
2003-08-06 13:49
London - Two teenagers were identified on Wednesday as the first victims of a heatwave that has pushed temperatures in Britain close to all-time record highs.
Police said the boys, both 17, died in separate tragic accidents on Tuesday as they sought to cool off in stretches of water - one in a lake near Whitchurch in Hampshire, the other in a canal at Rotherham, South Yorkshire.
Forecasters expected on Wednesday to be the hottest day of the year so far, though bets were open as to whether the all-time record high - 37.1° in 1990 - would be topped.
The hottest spot in Britain on Tuesday was Jersey, one of the Channel Islands, with 34.8°.
Dry, sunny weather was expected to persist into the weekend in virtually all parts of Britain.
Railway travellers on Wednesday endured a third day of delays and cancellations, as speed restrictions were clamped on inter-city trains due to fears that tracks might buckle dangerously under the heat.
On the roads, motorists were warned to look out for melting pavement.
"Overheated roads can become soft and rutted, making them uneven and difficult to drive on," said Paul Watters, head of roads and transport policy at the AA Motoring Trust.
Britain has already experienced its third warmest June and July for the last 100 years.
The average August temperature in southeast England, including London is about 22°.
Meteorologists attribute this week's heatwave to a high pressure system and gentle southeasterly winds bringing warm air over the English Channel from mainland Europe.