Britain continues to sizzle in record temperatures

Britain is expected to be dry across the board after sizzling record-breaking temperatures and torrential downpours split the country.

Temperatures soared to 34.4C (94F) in Gravesend in Kent on Tuesday, the hottest September day in more than 100 years, while downpours, thunder and lightning caused chaos for others.

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Roads were swallowed in deluges, with trains, flights and football games also disrupted - but the Met Office has said it will be a drier day for most of the country on Wednesday.

Meteorologist Tom Crocker said it will be another "quite warm and humid day".

"We will still see warm temperatures - but probably not quite as high as Gravesend on Tuesday," he said.

"Some areas further west that were suffering with the cloud and rain, they might have a slightly warmer day than they had.

"The good news is we are not forecasting anywhere near the same intensity of showers as we have had in the North West."

Mr Crocker said the showers which blighted northern parts will make their way up to Scotland and will "gradually lose their intensity".

"By dawn we may still see some of those thundery showers in the far north east of Scotland, but then most of the UK should wake up to a pretty dry start," he added.

"There may be a little bit of mist and fog around in places."

He said in East Anglia in particular there will be "quite warm weather", with temperatures reaching up to 31C (88F) on Wednesday and Thursday.

"It will be high 20s quite widely for parts of South East and Midlands - and possibly up to 27C (86.6F) for parts of Manchester and Liverpool," he added.

Elsewhere in the UK the north east of Scotland will be cloudy and cooler, while western parts "should have quite a nice day" with temperatures into the high teens.

Cool temperatures in Tyneside and Northumbria are also expected, with the mercury only predicted to reach 17C (62.6F) in Newcastle, due to low cloud and sea fog, Mr Crocker said.

"By the time we get through to Friday going into Saturday, it will cool down significantly," he added.