In pictures: Temperatures soar as UK basks in heatwave

It was a bright start to the week for many parts of the country, with the mercury predicted to climb all week.

A woman sits on a park bench reading as a heron takes shade near the fountain in Kensington Gardens, south London (James Manning/PA) (PA Wire)

The current heatwave is expected to last into the weekend as parts of the UK prepare to sizzle in 30C heat.

Highs of 33C are expected, with central, southern and eastern England all seeing the mercury rise into the high 20s.

The record temperature for this year so far is 32.7C – recorded at Heathrow last month.

For people not at work in South Wales, a day at the beach beckoned.

And for some Londoners a sky-high pool was a great alternative to the seaside.

But it wasn’t only humans finding ways to deal with the heat…