Spain's weather service Aemet said the "extremely hot" June - with an average temperature of 23.6C (74.5F) - "has pulverised records", surpassing the normal average for July and August. In England, the Met Office said June's mean temperature of 16.9C set a new record for that month, while the UK as a whole saw its second warmest June since records began in 1884.

Mainland Portugal experienced a record daily temperature for June of 46.6C. The monthly average data is yet to be released. Wildfires in Turkey forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people, while two people died in Italy following separate heat-related deaths.

Overnight, on the first day of July, Aemet said several places across the Iberian peninsula had topped 43C, but added a respite in temperatures was on its way from Thursday. Night-time temperatures recorded overnight into Tuesday hit 28C in Seville and 27C in Barcelona.

Later on Tuesday, the UK recorded a 33.9C high in Essex, eastern England, making it the hottest day of the year so far. According to provisional data, the Met Office said the UK's mean temperature of 15.2C for June was the second highest on record for that month. It was "only surpassed by June 2023, which recorded 15.8C", the agency said. On Monday, the highest daily UK temperature was recorded at Heathrow Airport in London at 33.1C. Meanwhile, Wimbledon recorded a temperature of 32.9C, the tennis tournament's hottest opening day on record. (BBC)