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There were long queues for air-conditioning units at a Hampshire supermarket this morning as extreme heat continued to impact much of the area.
Customers waited in line at Lidl in Hedge End on Thursday morning (25 June) but were told that the items had sold out.
It comes the day after temperatures in Gosport reached 36.1 degrees, with a reading of 35.8 recorded in Wiggonholt, West Sussex.
The Met Office said that the exceptional heat will spread northwards on Thursday, “with an even hotter day ahead for some with amber and red extreme heat warnings in force”.
However some places might feel slightly cooler due to a brisk breeze in the south, it said.
Network Rail have advised passengers to only travel if “absolutely necessary” on Thursday and Friday.
Those that are travelling will have slower journeys, with trains running at 50mph rather than 100mph between Reading and Paddington due to the hot temperatures.
A rare red warning for extreme heat has now been extended into Friday (26 June), as parts of the UK brace for more record-breaking temperatures.
The Met Office has extended its red warning, currently in place for a swathe of England and Wales, until 9pm on Friday for areas including Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Kent, because of the exceptional heat and humidity.
Temperatures could exceed 36C in these areas, perhaps rising to 38C in some places, the Met Office said.
In Dorset, the Fire and Rescue service was prepared for any wildfire but urged the public to stay safe.
Graham Kewley, group manager at Dorset Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Our management teams are on high alert to make sure that everything is as it should be to respond to any incidents we get.
“But we would very much ask the public to play their part in making sure they’re responsible in the outdoors.
“Don’t have bonfires or barbecues in this type of weather and certainly not in these sorts of open spaces”
The number of wildfires in the Dorset and Wiltshire area increased dramatically from 494 in 2021 to 1040 in 2025
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