The Met Office has issued a heat warning for the coming week. Yorkshire may escape with highs of 27C but the South East has been predicted to be hottest.

But the hewatwave is expected to give way to thundery downpours on Friday, with weatherman Paul Mott predicting heavy deluges in many parts of the country. Click the green PLAY button to watch his forecast.

Bookmakers Ladbrokes put the odds of the mercury rising above the highest temperature ever recorded in the UK today at 7/1.

Thermometers reached 38.5C (101.3F) in Kent in 2003, but that could be beaten this year.

Spokesman Robin Hutchison said: "If the forecasters are to be believed the thermometer could hit treble figures more times than England's batsman this summer.

"A nationwide gamble could seriously burn the bookies and see profits evaporate overnight."

The Met Office has issued a "heat health" warning for this week, with night time temperatures in some areas due to remain as high as 18C (64.4F).

It is expecting some of the hottest days of the summer so far and said there is a 60% chance of temperatures reaching 32C (89.6F).

The Department of Health said the elderly and young children were most at risk from heat stroke in hot weather.

It advised staying out of the sun, avoiding going out in the hottest part of the day and strenuous activities, and drinking plenty of water.

Rachel Vince, forecaster for Meteogroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said the warm weather would last until Wednesday and beyond.

She said: "It continues through the first half of the week, very warm and very muggy. We might see temperatures picking up to 30C by Wednesday. It's not going to be wall to wall sunshine, showers will break out in the afternoon.

"The most prone areas are through the central part of the country, as showers develop over land at this time of the year.

"But most parts of the UK will see some sunshine."

The weather will be similar towards the end of the week and into next weekend, she said.

Ladbrokes is offering odds of 8/1 that Wales beats its top temperature of 35.2C, and 17/2 that Scotland tops 32.9C or Northern Ireland exceeds 30.8C.

It has also set at 13/2 the likelihood that temperatures this week will exceed 33C (91.4F).