Parts of England expected to hit 35C in ‘unprecedented’ May heatwave

Crowds have packed English beaches over the May long weekend and a heatwave has gripped large swaths of Europe, providing a foretaste of what is expected to be another extreme northern hemisphere summer.

The milestone comes as much of the southern UK basks in bank holiday sunshine, with some parts of England already meeting the official threshold for a heatwave after three consecutive days above 28C (82.4F).

While there is little disguising the burden of heavy use on the environment, Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert website has moved to reassure users about the impact on their finances.

Spain and Portugal are set to experience the most extreme heat this week, with parts of Portugal expected to register temperatures of nearly 40 degrees Celsius, and areas of southern Spain forecast to hit 38C.