Large parts of Europe will be sweltering once again, with Britain poised for its fifth heat wave of an exceptional summer that is expected to be the hottest on record.

Weather forecasts show the UK is facing another week of severe heat as the mercury rises back towards 40C and more areas risk following parts of England and Wales into drought

The heat waves toppled an average temperature record for the June-July period set in 2022, according to the European climate agency Copernicus.