SWINDON sweltered under record-high heat as schools closed and health warnings were issued around the country.

Summer sunshine is nothing new, but it's very unusual for rainy old Britain to see temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius and above - some parts of the country experienced 40-degree heat for the first time ever.

With the mercury rising to dangerous levels and the Met Office putting amber and red weather warnings in place, several schools took precautions by asking pupils to attend lessons in their PE kit, letting parents pick children up early, or deciding to close early.

These included Uplands School, Churchward School, The Chalet School, Horizons College and Brimble Hill Special School (all finishing at 1pm), Nova Hreod Academy and Swindon Academy's secondary school (closed at 2pm, shut on Tuesday), Kingsdown School, Lainesmead Primary School and Catherine Wayte Primary School (closed around midday).

The heat affected our transport and health services, and some businesses thought it best to close for the day.

GWR advised passengers that their trains are expected to be very busy - especially on routes heading to the coast - and some would be cancelled at short notice due to the hot weather.

As with today, travelling on Tuesday should be avoided unless absolutely necessary, and anyone who does travel should bring plenty of water and sunscreen.

Dogs should not be walked or kept in cars in this heat - owners should keep an eye on them and make sure they are hydrated.

The extraordinary conditions posed a challenge for Great Western Hospital.

Dr Steve Haig, consultant emergency physician and deputy medical director, said: “Our urgent and emergency care services are currently extremely busy, and we expect the high number of patients attending the hospital will only increase throughout the week as the weather continues to get warm.

“Please be sensible when out in the sun, by wearing sun cream, sitting in shade and staying hydrated with lots of water.

“This will help to reduce your risks of sun-related health conditions, such as heat stroke or sunburn, and will also help to reduce the number of people needing to attend hospital.”

Meanwhile, the fire service issued a red-level warning indicating there is a high risk of wildfires due to the dry forests and searing heat. This is the highest level ever set in the UK.

Some play areas, like the one in St Andrews, closed off some equipment because the metal was too hot to safely play on.