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AN URGENT heat health alert has been issued as a 600 mile-wide Spanish surge brings a 30C heatwave to the UK.

Most regions can expect fine, dry and very warm weather with plenty of sunshine as the temperatures are dialled up in central and southern areas.

Beachgoers have floked to the seaside resort of Lyme Regis to relax under blue skies today
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Beachgoers have floked to the seaside resort of Lyme Regis to relax under blue skies today
Families on the beach enjoying the hot afternoon sunshine at the seaside resort of Weymouth in Dorset
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Families on the beach enjoying the hot afternoon sunshine at the seaside resort of Weymouth in DorsetCredit: ©Graham Hunt
A wxcharts map showing the 600-mile 'Spanish surge' of heat shown next Friday, July 15
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A wxcharts map showing the 600-mile 'Spanish surge' of heat shown next Friday, July 15
A group of friends relax in Finsbury Park, North London
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A group of friends relax in Finsbury Park, North London
People in a row a boat enjoy the hot weather on the River Nidd in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire
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People in a row a boat enjoy the hot weather on the River Nidd in Knaresborough, North YorkshireCredit: PA

The mercury is expected to climb so high that an extreme heat warning has been issued by the Met Office.

The  covers southern and eastern areas.

The “alert and readiness” grade is triggered when there's a 60 per cent risk that temperature thresholds will be reached in one or more regions on at least two consecutive days and the intervening night.

Sweltering days could hit the low 30s across large parts of southeast England with warm nights in between.

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The weather bureau are advising Brits to reduce the risk by reading up on the Heatwave Plan for England.

Brits will be back outside this weekend with beaches expected to be swarming with visitors.

Met Office forecasters predict temperatures could go as high as 35C by next week, making it hotter than Antigua, in the Caribbean, which will only top 29C.

Met Office forecaster Marco Petagna said: “Forecast models suggest mid-30s temperature highs later next week.

“All eyes are focused on a southerly airstream which could waft additional heat to our shores.”

Today is expected to see a high of 29C with the mercury nudging 30C by Sunday.

A recent heat map shows the band of boiling hot temperatures just sitting south of the UK and is forecast to move north by Friday.

Only in the far north-west it will remain cloudier and cooler with rain at times.

But the hot days ahead has prompted some advice from dog trainer Joe Nutkins.

He's concerned pet owners might forget to consider how their pets will fare in the weather after reaching found many don't know the optimum temperature a car should be when travelling with a dog.

Temperatures are due to climb even higher early next week and reach the “mid-30s” as the week progresses.

The run of scorching temperatures is expected to last long enough for the Met Office to officially declare it a heatwave.

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The forecaster said in an update: “Areas with lower heatwave thresholds, especially southwest England and south Wales are more likely to reach heatwave criteria from Thursday onwards.

“Elsewhere with the higher thresholds, the chance of an official heatwave is more marginal, although it’s possible they could also reach their heatwave thresholds from Sunday.”

A high of 32 degrees celsius is expected next week in London and the South
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A high of 32 degrees celsius is expected next week in London and the SouthCredit: LNP
A woman poses for photos in the sea in Dorset
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A woman poses for photos in the sea in DorsetCredit: ©Graham Hunt
A paddle boarder enjoys the hot weather on the River Nidd in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire
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A paddle boarder enjoys the hot weather on the River Nidd in Knaresborough, North YorkshireCredit: PA
Blue skies over the English Channel seen from the beach in Selsey, West Sussex
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Blue skies over the English Channel seen from the beach in Selsey, West SussexCredit: Bav Media
The heat building at Roker in Sunderland on Friday morning
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The heat building at Roker in Sunderland on Friday morningCredit: SWNS
Temperatures are expected to reach over 30 degrees in some parts of the country
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Temperatures are expected to reach over 30 degrees in some parts of the countryCredit: Alamy
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