Today saw the hottest day in May on record as temperatures reached 35C at Heathrow and Kew Gardens in London, as the UK’s week-long heatwave continues.
While thousands of Brits flocked to beaches and popular swimming spots over the long weekend, five people tragically lost their lives after getting into trouble in the water.
The family members were brought to safety by members of the public, before the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 13-year-old boy died in hospital after being pulled from the water at a popular swimming spot in Halifax, West Yorkshire, at around 3.20pm the same day.
Just hours later, the body of a 15-year-old girl was recovered from a lake at a country park in Warwickshire.
South Yorkshire Police also responded to reports that a teenage boy had gone into the lake at Rother Valley County Park in Rotherham and had not re-emerged. Emergency services recovered his body in the early hours of this morning.
It came a day after 15-year-old Declan Sawyer drowned at Swanholme Lakes in Lincoln at around 2.30pm on Sunday.
A view of the beach as people enjoy the hot weather in Brighton, East Sussex
Declan Sawyer, 15, drowned at Swanholme Lakes in Lincoln at around 2.30pm on Sunday
A major emergency response was called to Leadbeater Dam after reports of a swimmer in difficulty
His father, Carl, warned other parents to educate their children on the dangers of relating to bodies of water while issuing a touching tribute to his son.
The force said it does not believe there are any suspicious circumstances in relation to the incident at this time, but investigations remain ongoing.
The 13-year-old’s heartbroken family paid touching tributes to the youngster by sharing statements on social media.
Hours later, the 15-year-old girl was tragically pronounced dead after being pulled from the lake in Warwickshire.
Her body was recovered by specialist police teams at the beauty spot at around 7.20pm.
Witnesses said the youngster had been with a group who were jumping from a bridge before tragedy struck.
Her father was ‘frantically’ seen searching the riverbank by onlookers, who said he entered the body of water in a bid to find his child.
Floral tributes were laid at the scene to the victim, named only as Lil.
Speaking at the scene, Chief Inspector Ben Hembry, North Warwickshire Area Commander, said: ‘We were called at around 6pm to reports of youths in the water.
‘One was in particular difficulty. When we arrived it was identified a female teenager had gone missing underwater.
‘A multi-agency response of police, ambulance and fire all attended as well as a range of support from the park to do an extensive search.
‘I believe she was a local girl and this is an area frequented by young people in hot weather.
‘We are desperate to get the message across for people to stay out of open bodies of water.’
When asked about youths jumping off the bridge, he added: ‘Across open water where there is the opportunity for young people to do this these practices do take place.
‘And I believe that is part of what took place here yesterday.’
A family member at the scene said: ‘We don’t know exactly what happened yet.
‘There was some people seen jumping off the bridge but she wasn’t.
‘There was a young boy her age who jumped in to try and save her at the time. He’s the unsung hero, please let the police just do their job as speculation doesn’t help.
‘She wasn’t able to swim so she was never going to jump off a bridge into the water.
‘All an officer told me is that ‘I know it’s of limit comfort but she didn’t suffer, it was instant’ so there has been an incident.’
A man carries a sun lounger at the beach in Brighton, East Sussex
People are seen soaking up the sun while sitting on Jubilee Beach in Southend on Monday
Sunbathers gather early on on Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth, Cornwall earlier today
A woman shields herself from the sun outside the Bank of England in the City of London today
The third teenager was also pulled from a lake in South Yorkshire at around 6.50pm.
The teenage boy had entered the lake at Rother Valley County Park and did not re-emerge.
South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, the Yorkshire Ambulance Service and police officers recovered his body in the early hours of this morning.
The force said: ‘Whilst formal identification is yet to take place, the boy’s family has been informed and is being supported by officers.’
Meanwhile, emergency services were called to a beach in Padstow at around 3.50pm after a 60-year-old man suffered ‘cardiac arrest in the sea’ while trying to save family members.
The relatives, who were struggling in the sea, were brought to safety by members of the public. However, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
His next of kin has been informed, Devon and Cornwall Police said, while also confirming his death was not being treated as suspicious.
It comes after 15-year-old Declan drowned at Swanholme Lakes in Lincoln at around 2.30pm on Sunday.
His father, Carl, warned other parents to educate their children on the dangers of relating to bodies of water while issuing a touching tribute to his son.
He described the 15-year-old as ‘very much loved by his friends and family, and will be missed dearly by many’.
‘With his tragic and unexpected passing on Sunday at Swanholme Lakes, we would like to raise awareness about children playing near any rivers or lakes in the hot weather,’ he said.
‘Please can all parents, friends and family make their children aware of the dangers surrounding water.’
Yesterday was the hottest day in May on record, with temperatures soaring to 34.8°C in London, according to the Met Office.
Holidaymakers filled the beach in Lyme Regis, Dorset, in the scorching heat on bank holiday Monday
A man tells his dog to go fetch at water fountains in Battersea Park, south west London
People crammed onto packed Tube services this morning amid a record-breaking heatwave
And the mercury is only set to rise further today to an unprecedented 36°C amid warnings about the dangers of swimming in such weather.
This morning, the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms across the Midlands between 3pm and 10pm today, advising those from Wakefield down to Bath to watch out for ‘low likelihood, medium impact’ conditions.
The forecaster said: ‘Whilst many areas will miss them and remain hot and sunny, isolated thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and into the evening.
‘These could bring frequent lightning, large hail, gusty winds and the potential for 30mm of rain in less than an hour.’
Experts at the UK Health Security Agency (HSA) have also extended an amber health alert for much of the country into Thursday evening, warning that there could be deaths among the elderly and vulnerable.
It comes as lifeguard rescues more than doubled last year, according to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).
Ashley Jones, Head of Water Safety & Education at Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), said: ‘We’re urging the public to choose lifeguarded locations wherever possible, where safety measures and supervision are in place.
‘If you are spending time near water with children, always supervise them closely, keep them within arm’s reach, and consider dressing them in brightly coloured swimwear to improve visibility.
‘Open water environments are very different from controlled swimming areas. There may be hidden hazards beneath the surface, strong currents, and colder temperatures that can seriously affect your ability to swim. It’s vital to respect your limits, avoid swimming alone, and talk to your family about water safety before you visit.
‘If you see someone in trouble, don’t be tempted to enter the water to rescue them. Instead, call 999, encourage them to float on their back, and throw something that floats to assist them. Taking simple precautions can help prevent tragedies and ensure everyone stays safe while enjoying the water during warmer weather.’
Elsewhere, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service warned people about the dangers of entering open water as the weather continues to warm up.
‘The weather is warming up and you might be tempted to cool off in water, but danger could be lurking under the surface,’ they said.
‘Even on warm days, the water can still be very cold and cold water shock is highly dangerous.
‘We experience an increase in call-outs to water-related incidents in the summer months. Please help us to keep you safe and avoid entering bodies of water.’
Train companies today came under fire for blaming ‘severe weather ‘ for cancelling services.
A number of services were cancelled due to the heat while yesterday passengers were forced off a train in Oxfordshire due to a faulty air conditioning system.
Staff handed out water bottles as the train from London Marylebone to Stourbridge Junction, West Midlands, was emptied at Banbury.
A video from one of the stricken carriages shows passengers asking ‘what’s going on?’ as they were told they would need to leave before their destinations.
National Rail said the railway network could be hampered by the ‘unusually warm’ temperatures. Excessive heat can cause overhead power lines to sag and lines to buckle, it said, notwithstanding the risk of trackside wildfires.
Sagging power lines run the risk of being damaged if trains run at full speed. Many newer power lines have ‘auto-tension’ systems that can pull cables back into place – but older routes are not equipped with these, forcing trains to slow down.
SWR said trains running on its network may be cancelled or delayed by up to 30 minutes until the end of today, affecting services running from London Waterloo to parts of Surrey, Hampshire and Dorset.
Elizabeth Line services in the capital have also been slowed down due to ‘high track temperatures’; some services running from London Liverpool Street to Gidea Park have been cancelled for Tuesday afternoon due to the additional traffic caused by the speed restrictions.
But the decision to can services due to the heat sparked derision among passengers on social media. One wrote: ‘Services cancelled because of hot weather? How do they manage to run trains in Spain? Clown country.’
