Europe is baking under a scorching heatwave, with health warnings in place across western and central parts of the continent as temperatures climb to record-breaking highs.

The temperature spike is being driven by a mass of hot air moving from the Sahara, fuelled by a high-pressure ‘African anticyclone’ system.

The spike in temperatures is being driven by a mass of hot air moving north from the Sahara, fuelled by a strong high-pressure system known as the ‘African anticyclone’.