UK heatwave: Hundreds have already died in the heatwave, claim experts as the ...

But the impressively hot temperature in Hampton was not quite enough to nudge last year's record reading of 32.4C, recorded in Cavendish on August 18. This month could be the driest July in 250 years, it was revealed yesterday.

As temperatures soared, Spike the King penguin kept a cool head - and more importantly, cold feet. Dapper as ever in his sharp tuxedo plumage, he perched on a rapidly melting block of ice to chill the bare skin on his webbed toes.

Simon Blackwell, of Birdland park and gardens, Gloucestershire, said: 'The weather is very warm for penguins so we give them a range of options including ice blocks, a shower, and umbrellas. They like to stand on the ice blocks as their feet are really the only place with exposed skin.'

The animal attraction is home to the UK's only colony of King penguins.

There has been just 4mm of rain in England and Wales so far this month and the country is on course to see the driest July since records began in 1766 - as long as the good summer weather holds for another two weeks.

The driest July ever recorded was in 1825 when just 8mm of rain fell.

Yesterday people were making the most of the glorious summer sunshine and flooding onto the beaches, into parks or simply going out in the back garden.

After 11 straight days of scorching temperatures in excess of 28C, the mean temperature is a degree above the July average of 23.4C.

Britain as a whole has only seen 9.2mm of rainfall so far this month, which is just 12 per cent of the July average of 34.6mm.

Scotland has seen the most rainfall so far with 16.8mm, but that is only 17 per cent of the monthly average.

'England and Wales have seen just 4mm of rain this month', a Met Office spokesman said. 'But it's too early to judge where it will end up in the record.'.

DEATH TOLL OF THE HOT WEATHER

Met Office forecaster Sarah Holland said yesterday: 'Today is extremely hot, especially in London and the South East where we have issued a level three warning.

'Elsewhere is looking nice and sunny, with temperatures in the high twenties. Tomorrow we're continuing the glorious sunshine and warm temperatures, with the South East predicted to see 29C and 27C in the Midlands.

'Friday is much the same with 27C weather across much of the UK and lots of sunshine. Over the weekend, there will be low cloud and mist around in the morning, which will shift during the day. We'll still be seeing temperatures in the mid-twenties so it's very nice for the time of year.

'The reason behind this very warm weather is an area of high pressure which has been sitting right above the UK since the start of the month.'

But there is no need for a hosepipe ban yet, as the the soggy summer last year has kept water stores high.

The heatwave has brought a 15 per cent rise in the demand for tap water in London and the Thames Valley, the region's main supplier said.

Thames Water's nine million customers have been using around 400million litres a day in addition to the 2.6billion litres they usually get through, but there are currently no fears of shortages, the company said

Trevor Bishop, head of water resources at the Environment Agency, said: 'Last year's exceptionally wet summer and autumn has left us in a fairly good water resources position, with most rivers, reservoirs and underground water stores around normal for the time of year.

'Some river levels are dropping as a result of the hot, dry spell that we are enjoying, and we would urge everyone to continue use water wisely, to protect water supplies and the environment.'

This week a man and a boy, aged 16 and 41, were found dead in a lake where swimming is banned after apparently jumping in to cool off as Britain basks in the first heatwave for seven years.

The pair went missing yesterday afternoon after being spotted in the water at the Bawsey Pits country park near King's Lynn, Norfolk. Police officers, firefighters and paramedics launched a search for them and their bodies were recovered from the lake last night.

Although swimming is banned at the beauty spot, which is popular with sunseekers, many ignore warning signs.

The dangers of drowning increase in the warm summer months as people try to cool themselves and there have been several tragic incidents in recent weeks.

SUMMER HOLIDAY BOOKINGS FALL BECAUSE OF WARM WEATHER

In Looe, Cornwall, a swimmer died after getting into difficulties while going for an evening dip at a popular tourist beach.

The 40-year-old was spotted struggling in the sea by an off-duty policeman and although she was dragged to safety she was later pronounced dead.

The woman, from Saltash, Cornwall, was airlifted to Plymouth's Derriford Hospital where she later died.

In Cambridge, a couple were found dead on the banks of the River Cam on Monday just a short distance from families enjoying the warm weather.

The man and woman were declared dead at the scene and a third person was taken to the city's Addenbrooke's Hospital for treatment.

It is believed all three had been drinking by the riverside as part of a group since the previous evening and had taken drugs, though it is not known what substance was involved.

Police said there were early indications the deaths were drug-related but officers refused to rule out the searing 29C heat as a contributory factor.

In Reading, Berkshire, a mini-whirlwind picked up a large metal shed in the grounds of Reading Girls' School, lifted it three metres in the air, spun it round three times and dropped it.

The bizarre incident was caused by the hot weather.

Art and design teacher Nigel Bish said: 'Everyone looked out and we saw the shed lift three metres high, right off the ground. It turned round three times and then dropped.'

He said you could hear a 'grinding, creaking, jarring' sound as it lifted up.

On the M25 near Godstone, Surrey, drivers sweltered in the heat after a lorry caught fire, causing long tailbacks.

In Newcastle, young troublemakers have started to open up fire hydrants in a bid to cool down in the hot weather, police said.

Likening the scenes to something more common in downtown New York, Northumbria Police said lives are being put at risk.

But they warned that opening hydrants is a criminal offence and they will arrest anyone caught doing it.

Police Inspector Mark Farrimond said: 'It may all seem like fun and games, but fire hydrants are there for a very good reason - to save lives.

'Opening them up is a criminal offence and we take it very seriously. Earlier this month we arrested a 19-year-old man after a hydrant was opened on Belgrave Parade in Elswick.

'As well as affecting water supplies and causing local flooding, opening up such hydrants causes real problems for firefighters.'

The fire service said that if crews were unable to access a hydrant in the event of a blaze, people could lose their lives.

A group of Labour MPs called for workers to be sent home when the temperature reaches 30C indoors, in a proposal laid out in an Early Day Motion. Although employees don't have to work if it is too cold, there are no rules about working indoors in hot weather.

Linda Riordan, Labour MP for Halifax, said that many people are 'subjected to high temperatures which can impact seriously on their health and well-being'.

An official code of practice introduced in 1992 as part of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations states that workplace temperatures should not normally drop below 16C - or 13C if the work involves severe physical effort - but there is no suggested maximum limit, with the guidelines stating only that 'all reasonable steps should be taken to achieve a reasonably comfortable temperature'.

The TUC has backed a legal maximum temperature of 30C - or 27C for those doing strenuous work - and Ms Riordan's motion urges the Government to adopt these levels in law.

As the hot weather continues, the Met Office ramped up their heatwave warning for London and the south-east from level two to level three, one step below the maximum. Across much of the rest of England a level two alert is still in place.

The system is overseen by Public Health England, a Department of Health agency, in a bid to reduce the health impact of the current run of stifling temperatures across the UK. A level three warning is triggered as soon as the Met Office forecasts that there is a 90 per cent chance of temperatures being high enough on at least two consecutive days to have significant effects on health.

Death rates rise soon after temperatures soar, with many fatalities occurring in the first two days.

Level three is triggered as soon as the Met Office confirms that a threshold temperature has been reached in any one region or more.

These vary according to the area, but the average temperature is 30C during the day and 15C overnight.

A decision on what level of warning is in place for each of nine English regions is made every morning from the beginning of June to mid-September by a team of forecasters in the Heat Health Watch Service at the Met Office.

Yesterday two regions of England were at level three, five at level two and two at level one. Wales is also at level one.

Dr Angie Bone, Heatwave Plan lead for PHE, said: 'In this continued hot weather, it's important to remember that high temperatures can be dangerous, especially for people who may be vulnerable such as older people, young children and those with serious illnesses.

'During very hot weather, pregnant women and people who have chronic illnesses, including cardiovascular, respiratory, renal conditions, diabetes or Parkinson's disease, may experience discomfort if indoor temperatures are particularly hot and in using public transport.

'Employers should ensure indoor areas are kept cool and consider allowing these individuals to travel to or from their place of work during cooler, or less busy, times of the day. For those working or exercising outdoors, strenuous physical exertion during the hottest part of the day should be kept to a minimum.

'The key message for healthy individuals is to follow public health messages on how to enjoy the sun safely by staying cool, drinking lots of cold fluids and checking on those you know are at risk.'

A summer heatwave in 2003 caused 15,000 'excess deaths' in France, so many that morgues ran out of space. That same summer Britain recorded 2,000 excess deaths during a 10‑day heatwave.

Under a level three warning carers are urged to check on vulnerable people and health staff are told to help and advise clients including access to cool rooms, close monitoring of vulnerable individuals, reducing room temperatures with shading, turning off unnecessary lights and equipment and ensuring discharge planning takes the extreme temperatures into account.

A level four warning is classified as a major incident where the stifling temperatures continue for so long it could even affect infrastructure, such as transport and power.

Britain is basking in the first prolonged heatwave since 2006 - and judging by these pictures MailOnline readers are certainly making the most of it.

We have been asking you to send in your pictures of the summer sun across Britain. Here are the best of them.

If you have pictures you have taken today that you want to appear here, then email them to mailonlinepictures@dailymail.co.uk.

As temperatures rocket, these bizarre gadgets offer unusual ways to keep cool this summer.

A tiny desktop humidifier rests neatly on top of a bottle of water - and draws the liquid through a detachable 12cm-long wick-like core.

It then sprays water into the air as vapour at 30ml per hour, keeping the air cool and fresh.

The device ensures you won't be kept up by the heat as a 500ml bottle of water is enough to last through the night, and for safety reasons, the humidifier switches off after eight hours of continuous use.

Designed by South Korea's Amazing Grace, it can be charged using a laptop or phone charger, via a USB-to-mini-USB cable. The core doubles as a filter, and should be replaced approximately every three months, depending on use.

And, once the summer months are over, the humidifier can be used all year round.

In the dry winter months, the product provides relief from heaters, while it also doubles up as an aroma defuser for aromatherapy. The product is on sale on Amazon's US website for £22.48.

Dogs can stay hydrated this summer with a paw-activated water fountain.

The gadget attaches to a standard garden hose, and provides thirsty pets with a supply of fresh running water - once they learn how to press the button.

Busy owners need never worry again about their hound's water bowl running dry.

A new slushy drink maker has been launched to help families create cold refreshments. The ChillFactor Squeeze Cup Slushy maker, which is stored in the freezer, has to be squeezed down to turn a drink into slush. It is on sale for £12.99.