UK records hottest ever May Day

The UK recorded its hottest ever May Day on Thursday, having just experienced its sunniest April since records began, according to the Met Office. The unprecedented temperature of 29.3 degrees Celsius was recorded at the famous botanical park Kew Gardens in southwest London. 

The previous record of 27.4C was set in 1990 in the coastal town of Lossiemouth in northern Scotland. This May 1 is also the hottest day of the year so far in the country. Like other European countries, the UK has been experiencing a heatwave since the beginning of the week.

According to early estimates from the Met Office, April was the sunniest since meteorological records began in 1910. Scientists warn that climate change driven by humanity's fossil fuel emissions is making periods of intense heat more likely, longer-lasting and more intense.