Hottest day of the year

Martin Harness attempted to fry an egg on the lid of his wheelie bin in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, today, where he recorded 35C (95F).

While it may have been the hottest day of the year so far, the egg was left a little on the... well... runny side...

Martin confirms he didn't eat it, but we applaud the effort.

Martin HarnessCopyright: Martin Harness

This is the weather forecast from one of the trains on the Severn Valley Railway - be thankful you're not on the footplate shovelling coal into the firebox.

Commuters are facing delays as soaring temperatures affected train services on the hottest day of the year so far.

Temperatures have already exceeded 33.4C (92F) in southern England and are due to pass 35C (95F) in south-east England.

Heat buckled a rail in North Yorkshire, and speed limits are in place on some lines due to "high rail temperatures".  

PACopyright: PA

A woman whose patio table exploded in the sun says "it just went off like a bomb".

Lynn (who's asked us not to use her second name) told BBC Suffolk her husband had been in a chair beside the table just minutes beforehand, but had gone to the garage to get something.

ContributedCopyright: Contributed

She said: "As he was walking through the door there was an almighty bang and the glass-topped table had completely exploded into shards. 

"It wasn't cracks, they were tiny, tiny pieces, and it's a six seater table so you can imagine if anybody had been sitting anywhere near it, it would have caused serious damage... it just went off like a bomb."

ContributedCopyright: Contributed

Thanks to Weather Watcher mare for this snap of Walton-on-Thames on a sunny July day.

BBC Weather Watchers/mareCopyright: BBC Weather Watchers/mare

Brize Norton is hotter by 0.1C

Compare the temperature where you are with more than 50 cities around the world with this BBC News tool.

PACopyright: PA

Weather Watcher Marion captured these patterned clouds above Landewednack in Cornwall earlier.

BBC Weather Watchers/MarionCopyright: BBC Weather Watchers/Marion

How's the weather where you are? Find out more about Weather Watchers.

Reporter Jozef Hall recorded 34C (93F) in his car in Landbeach, just north of Cambridge, this afternoon, which was hot enough to melt the tarmac a bit.

BBCCopyright: BBC

BBCCopyright: BBC

If you don't believe us, this article proves it's possible.

Today may be the hottest day of 2016 so far, but in Soho, London, they're focusing on the other extreme as a Christmas shop gets ready to open, complete with snow....

PACopyright: PA

Navigation Street outside Birmingham's Grand Central station has been clocking up temperatures of 69C (156F).

It's due to the metal cladding wrapped around part of the building which is reflecting the sunlight.

We sent our intrepid reporter out with a heat-gun to find out just how hot it's getting.

BBCCopyright: BBC

How do British people behave when the temperature rises? It depends whether you are a lizard or a shade dweller. 

Rob Read and Tanya Shadrick from Pells Pool in Lewes in East Sussex, the oldest outdoor public swimming pool in the UK, compare notes. 

Some of our Weather Watchers have been snapping shots of England's wildlife as the temperatures soar across the country.

BBC Weather Watchers/NanjanCopyright: BBC Weather Watchers/Nanjan

BBC Weather Watchers/SeabrookCopyright: BBC Weather Watchers/Seabrook

Pershore is the hottest place in the country.

The Met Office says the Worcestershire town has beaten Heathrow in terms of temperatures with 33.4C (92.12F).

That means it's hotter there than in Algiers (26C/77F),  Athens (30C/86F) and almost hotter than Islamabad (34C/93F).

And the pigs at Pershore College have been fed ice lollies to keep them cool.

bbcCopyright: bbc

Pershore is a record-breaking town in terms of the weather.

Nine years ago, in July 2007 Worcestershire got the highest rainfall for any calendar month, with the station at Pershore College recording 252mm of precipitation.

Social media is filling up with people's pictures of scorching hot London. Thanks to Kate Giles for sharing her photo with us. 

She tweeted: 'This heat is almost unbearable but for views like this, I think it's worth it!'  

Kate GilesCopyright: Kate Giles

With temperatures peaking across England today, Weather Watcher ruthiebabes sent in this picture from Twickenham.

BBC Weather Watchers/ruthiebabesCopyright: BBC Weather Watchers/ruthiebabes

Cambridgeshire fire investigators say "sunlight reflected onto combustible materials" is the most likely cause of a flat blaze in Wisbech this afternoon - where temperatures have reached 30C (86F).

Crews from March, Long Sutton and West Walton were called to the fire in the roof space of a second floor flat in Orange Grove at about 13:25. Residents escaped unharmed.

Station commander Mick Jackman, said: "The first crews in attendance worked very hard and did an excellent job to cut away the roof material, extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading."

Hello sunshine...

BBCCopyright: BBC