The UK's ongoing heatwave hit a peak today, on what has been dubbed Furnace Friday, leading to massive train delays and disrupted travel plans across the country.
The arrival of thunderstorms in parts of the country amid searing heat made matters worse which could see an all-time July record of 38.5 degrees Celsius being topped.
Eurostar trains between London and continental Europe faced major disruptions as huge queues stretched out of St Pancras station in central London amid a meltdown on the international line.
There are lots of people moving through the station but the queues are being managed, a Eurostar spokesperson said, confirming delays of at least 30 minutes across its services.
The weather has led to travel problems for Eurotunnel shuttle passengers, after issues with air conditioning in its carriages.
Eurotunnel, which connects the English Channel, said it had taken an "unprecedented decision" to cancel thousands of day-trip tickets for today to ease the long queues. Several carriages had to also be taken out of service on Thursday due to the suffocating heat, causing five-and-a-half-hour queues.
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It came as the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) broke its strict dress code and said it would allow members to enter the pavilion at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground without a jacket for the first time in its history.
A spokesperson for Lords said, To our knowledge this is the first time members have been given prior permission not to bring a jacket at all. Before, once or twice a season, they would be given permission to move around the pavilion without a jacket if it got really hot. It is the first time it has been prior agreed that they don't even need to bring a jacket with them.
The so-called "Furnace Friday", which comes after days of high temperatures, has already led to fun runs, charity walks, dog shows, concerts and fairs being called off over fears that participants would overheat.
High temperatures have caused problems for the state-funded National Health Service (NHS) in recent days, with many staff said to be dizzy and exhausted.
Health officials also said blood supplies had dropped because some people have been too dehydrated to donate, while others have chosen to stay out in the sun.
Fire services called for a ban on barbecues in parks and drivers were urged not to throw rubbish from their cars after a string of grassland fires during the heatwave.
Conditions over the weekend are expected to be cooler, with the possibility of more rain, strong winds and more average temperatures for the time of year.
This marks the longest spell of heatwave in Britain since 1976, as the UK's Meteorological Office issued a Level 3 amber heatwave alert on Monday, warning people to stay out of the sun this week during the daytime when temperatures exceed 30 degrees.
A Met Office spokesperson said, Temperatures are expected to range between 28 C and 36 C on Friday although there is a chance we could hit 37 C which would bring a new July record. The influence of thunderstorms will see a slight dip in temperatures at the weekend, however we expect it to turn hotter again next week with highs quite widely in the lower 30s.
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