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HEATWAVE TRAGEDY

Boy, 16, found dead in a canal on 33C hottest day of the year as September heatwave stretches into seventh day

 A 16-YEAR-OLD boy has been found dead on the hottest day of the year - as the September heatwave stretches into its seventh day.

The unnamed boy, 16, was pulled from the Leeds-Liverpool Canal in Burnley, Lancashire, on Saturday evening.

A boy died in the Leeds-Liverpool Canal in Burnley
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A boy died in the Leeds-Liverpool Canal in BurnleyCredit: Getty

Lancashire Police today confirmed the tragic teen had entered the water near Empire Way in the town.

Emergency services were called at 4.20pm on Saturday afternoon, sparking a frantic search.

But it ended when his body was recovered from the water just before 7.20pm.

A force spokesman said: "A 16-year-old boy was pronounced deceased at the scene and our thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this distressing time.

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"Our inquiries are continuing."

It comes as the Met Office confirmed the UK had an unprecedented seventh consecutive day of 30C heat on Sunday.

The UK had the seventh consecutive day of 30C heat on Sunday - the longest September heatwave on record.

Saturday was officially the hottest day of the year so far, with a temperature of 32.7C recorded at Heathrow.

Sunday became the seventh consecutive day of 30 degree weather in the UK with 32.5C recorded in Cambridge.

The September heatwave follows a washout summer - with July and August blighted by rain, cloud and cold temperatures.

The hottest temperature this year is far below the 40.3C recorded by the Met Office in July last year.

Warm weather is only dubbed a heatwave when daily maximum temperatures meet - or exceed - a local area's "threshold" for three days or more, the forecaster said.

The heatwave temperature threshold differs from region to region.

In Scotland and the North of England, the threshold is 25C, while most of the Midlands and Birmingham it's 26C.

London and the South East have the highest threshold at 28C.
Heatwaves are often caused by a jet stream north of the UK.

Yesterday was the hottest day of the year
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Yesterday was the hottest day of the yearCredit: BNPS
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