'Stay at home ' advice as temperatures soar

People are being urged to only travel if it is essential and to stay indoors today and tomorrow as temperatures are expected to reach record levels.

The Met Office has issued a red weather warning for extreme heat, with temperatures set to reach 37�C over the two days.

Businesses were advising their staff to stay away from the office if working from home was possible.

The UK could have its hottest day on record this week with temperatures forecast to hit up to 41�C. The current highest temperature recorded in the UK is 38.7�C in Cambridge in 2019.

The Met Office has issued a red extreme heat warning for much of England from London and the south-east up to York and Manchester and advised people to stay indoors.

Network Rail said people should travel only “if absolutely necessary ”.

Extremely hot temperatures can deem railway tracks unsafe, as steel is easily able to absorb heat. Overhead electrical cable wires are also susceptible to high temperatures.

As a result, speed restrictions and reduced timetables will be in place for safety reasons.

A London Northwestern Railway spokesperson said: “With such hot weather forecast , we are encouraging passengers to only travel on Monday and Tuesday if their journey is absolutely necessary.

“Speed restrictions and reduced timetables will be in place across our services on these days, so we are expecting disruption.

“If journeys are essential, we urge passengers to check before they travel and plan ahead, including ensuring they stay hydrated. Revised timetables will be confirmed as soon as possible. ”