Red warning as South East faces record temperatures

The Met Office has issued a red weather warning for extreme heat in parts of south-east England from 09:00 BST on Wednesday to 21:00 on Thursday.

It said: "An exceptional spell of hot and humid weather is expected, with impacts to the general population highly likely."

Forecasters believe temperatures could reach 38C (100F) in the South East by Wednesday, with one Surrey hospital already declaring a critical incident.

South East Water (SEW) is asking customers to conserve water, with problems to supply already reported in Maidstone, Kent, along with problems caused by a burst water main in Crawley, West Sussex, on Monday.

Weather expert Jim Dale told BBC Radio Surrey this week's temperatures could "obliterate" previous records.

"June's record is 35.6," he said. "Records normally fall by tenths of a degree, not two or three degrees, that's just ludicrous.

"That happened also in May when we got 35.1, that beat the previous by a couple of degrees. Something's going on beyond what you might call a normal heatwave.

"Climate change is involved, global warming's involved, that exacerbates the situation."

SEW said customers in Ulcombe near Maidstone had seen supplies interrupted due to increased demand, with a burst main causing problems for customers in Crawley.

In a statement on its website the company said: "We are seeing increased water use in some areas which may mean you have no water.

"This extra demand affects the boosters which pumps the water to customers properties."

SEW is urging customers to only use water for essential purposes to help keep taps flowing.

The spokesperson said the company was asking residents to make "simple changes" until temperatures fall, including pausing all hosepipe use and to only use water for hygiene, drinking and cooking.

The company said the total amount of water treated and put into the network on Sunday was 644 million litres - 56 million litres more than the daily average for June.

To meet demand, SEW is running treatment works at full capacity around the clock, increasing repair teams for leaks and bursts, and using tankers to inject water into the network and replenish storage.

Water supply issues caused misery for thousands of people across Kent during soaring temperatures last month.

The increased demand caused problems across the network as residents were using water faster than the treatment works could clean, treat and put it into the system.

It led to supply failures for thousands of people who lived either at the end of a pipeline or on higher ground.

East Surrey Hospital has declared a critical incident due to high levels of demand, with the situation being "exacerberated" by the heat.

Dr Catherine Glass, a GP from Walton on Thames, Surrey, said: "The elderly are not as good at regulating their core body temperatures, the same goes for children.

"It's about keeping well hydrated. Do not be in direct sunlight at all in temperatures above 30 degrees.

"If you are going to drink alcohol, always drink a non-alcoholic drink in between each."

While the Health and Safety Executive has a minimum temperature for indoor work spaces, there is no maximum temperature, although it adds employers must provide a "reasonable temperature".

Train passengers, Network Rail said, should only travel in, to, or from red zones on Wednesday and Thursday "if absolutely necessary".

Meanwhile, in West Sussex, Collyer's sixth form college, in Horsham, and Ifield Community College, in Crawley, both said they would be closed on Wednesday and Thursday.

Both colleges said they would open on Tuesday and Friday but Ifield said pupils would be allowed to wear PE kits and trainers.

Mitchie Alexander, cabinet member for communities, equalities and adult social care at Brighton and Hove City Council, has advised visitors to choose one of the city's beaches which have a lifeguard and to speak to the RNLI lifeguards for advice on tide and weather conditions on the day.

"Unlike many beaches, where you can gradually enter the water, our steep shingle shoreline can make entering and exiting the sea difficult in places," she added.

"Even though the weather is very warm, the sea will be colder than people may expect."

Alexander also urged people to follow warm weather safety advice, including taking care in water, wearing a hat, applying sunscreen, staying hydrated and avoiding prolonged sun exposure during peak heat.

She also asked beachgoers to dispose of rubbish responsibly, using bins or taking it home if they are full.

Southeastern railway, which covers Kent and part of East Sussex, said more carriages were being added on busy coastal routes this summer, with air‑conditioned trains or options like vents and openable windows for airflow.

The company advised passengers to avoid the busier 10:30 to 13:30 outbound and 16:00 to19:00 returning trains where possible and use the SeatFinder for quieter services.

Monday is the first day of the Eastbourne tennis championships, with players and spectators facing sweltering conditions.

Ken Pollock, president of the Devonshire Park Lawn Tennis Club, told BBC Radio Sussex: "It's probably one of the best weeks of undiluted sunshine the tournament's ever had."

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