UK weather today – Brits brave two-mile queues to pack beaches for spot in 32C sun on last day of heatwave weekend
EARLY-rising Brits raced to the beach to bag a spot in the 32C weather – sparking traffic gridlock on the third day of the UK’s heatwave.
Beach-goers packed onto coastal roads with gridlock queues of more than two miles at Bournemouth and Camber Sands seeing car parks full by midday.
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Sun-seekers were also seen cracking open beers before midday in the British sun – as many are making the most of summer-at-home this year.
A woman sadly died in a jet ski and boat collision this morning off the coast of North Wales near Menai Bridge amid the sweltering heatwave.
An air ambulance was also called to Southend seafront this morning after a young child was seen alone on a dinghy 300 metres from the shore.
On Saturday afternoon, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council’s beach check app showed 18 of its beaches on red alert, warning people to avoid the areas because safe social distancing was not possible.
And further west in Dorset, police turned furious drivers away from Durdle Door as roads in Lulworth shut because of the volume of visitors.
On Saturday, Bournemouth council closed 20 of the resort’s 24 beaches over fears visitors, who created 15-mile tailbacks on roads in the area as they rushed to the coast, couldn’t safely socially distance.
Council officials said: “Our advice to visitors would be to avoid these areas, turn away and come back another day when it less busy.’’
Firefighters also fear blazes could break out during the hot dry weather, with officials asking visitors not to have fires in the open.
Weatherman John Hammond, of Weathertrending, told Sun Online: “Unlike last week’s ‘one-day wonder’, this heat is going to hit and hold for the best part of a week in some places.
“Some southern areas will be sitting near 30C for several days in a row, with some uncomfortably warm nights too.”
Friday was the hottest August day for 17 years, with the highest temperature recorded at 38.5C at Faversham in Kent on August 10, 2003.
Meanwhile, people living in Devon and Cornwall were “furious” after thousands of tourists flocked to seaside towns.
Locals and business owners said Salcombe, known as “Chelsea-on-Sea”, is heaving and busier than ever before.
