More than 20 towns in France record highest ever May temperatures

Parts of Spain could also see the mercury climb to 40C by the end of the week

More than 20 towns in France have recorded their highest-ever May temperatures and the UK set a national heat record amid an extreme early-summer heat event that could see the mercury climb to 40C in parts of Spain by the end of the week.

The UK’s Met Office said the country’s all-time temperature record for May was broken on Monday when a temperature of 33.5C was recorded at Heathrow near London, with highs of up to 35C expected later on Monday and on Tuesday.