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London and the South East are set to be hotter than Miami as temperatures soar to sizzling highs of 34C.

The mercury is expected to hit 30C on Sunday before temperatures increase throughout the week as a heatwave continues to grip the UK.

Met Office forecasters said temperatures could peak at 34C on Wednesday or Thursday which would mark the hottest day this year.

Highs of 34C would see parts of the UK bask in warmer weather than Miami where temperatures are expected to reach 32C all week.

Meteorologist Craig Snell told the Standard: “We are set for some more very hot weather day and night.

“Throughout the coming week temperatures will enter the low thirties during the day, with highs of 34C very possible.

“Temperatures don’t look likely to dip any lower than 18C during the night which is bad news for anyone after a good night’s sleep or a bit of rain.”

Sun worshippers across the UK flocked to parks and beaches on Saturday to make the most of the hot weather on the first weekend of the summer holidays.

Public Health England has issued a warning to families to “use common sense” amid fears people could be hospitalised with sunburn.

A huge grass fire broke out in Feltham, west London, on Saturday afternoon sending thick plumes of smoke billowing into the air over Heathrow Airport.

The blaze ripped through an area of grassland close to Bedfont Lakes the size of six football pitches, London Fire Brigade said.

Some 20 firefighters battled the blaze just weeks after flames tore across Wanstead Flats.

UK heatwave 17 show all UK heatwave 1/17 Scorcher: beach-goers enjoy the hot weather in Cornwall Getty Images 2/17 Kayakers at Portobello beach PA 3/17 People enjoy the fine weather as they gather on Porthmeor Beach in St Ives Getty Images 4/17 Norman the puggle takes a dip in the sea at Portobello beach PA 5/17 People relax in the sun at St Paul's Cathedral AP 6/17 Beachgoers at Portobello beach, Edinburgh PA 7/17 People wander around the harbour at low tide in St Ives Getty Images 8/17 Brits were enjoying the third successive day of hot weather today Getty Images 9/17 A woman applies sun lotion to a man's back as they enjoy the fine weather on Porthmeor Beach Getty Images 10/17 People enjoy the fine weather as they sunbathe on Porthmeor Beach Getty Images 11/17 Temperatures hit 32C in parts of the UK Getty Images 12/17 A seagull sits on a boat as people gather around the harbour at low tide in St Ives Getty Images 13/17 Beachgoers in Edinburgh PA 14/17 Chloe Precious serves ice cream on a boat converted into an ice cream shop called the Full Moos, on the River Ouse in York REUTERS 15/17 Customers line up for ice cream in York REUTERS 16/17 The hottest temperature in the UK was recorded in Wales REUTERS 17/17 Millions of Brits were out enjoying the sunshine today REUTERS 1/17 Scorcher: beach-goers enjoy the hot weather in Cornwall Getty Images 2/17 Kayakers at Portobello beach PA 3/17 People enjoy the fine weather as they gather on Porthmeor Beach in St Ives Getty Images 4/17 Norman the puggle takes a dip in the sea at Portobello beach PA 5/17 People relax in the sun at St Paul's Cathedral AP 6/17 Beachgoers at Portobello beach, Edinburgh PA 7/17 People wander around the harbour at low tide in St Ives Getty Images 8/17 Brits were enjoying the third successive day of hot weather today Getty Images 9/17 A woman applies sun lotion to a man's back as they enjoy the fine weather on Porthmeor Beach Getty Images 10/17 People enjoy the fine weather as they sunbathe on Porthmeor Beach Getty Images 11/17 Temperatures hit 32C in parts of the UK Getty Images 12/17 A seagull sits on a boat as people gather around the harbour at low tide in St Ives Getty Images 13/17 Beachgoers in Edinburgh PA 14/17 Chloe Precious serves ice cream on a boat converted into an ice cream shop called the Full Moos, on the River Ouse in York REUTERS 15/17 Customers line up for ice cream in York REUTERS 16/17 The hottest temperature in the UK was recorded in Wales REUTERS 17/17 Millions of Brits were out enjoying the sunshine today REUTERS

LFB have issued a warning over grass fires as temperatures continue to rise.

A spokesman for the Brigade said: “We're asking people not to drop cigarettes/matches on dry grass and to be sensible with BBQs. Glass bottles can magnify the sun's rays and start fires too.”

As of Wednesday, the UK had just 1.85in (47mm) of rain, making it the driest start to summer in modern records which date back to 1961, followed by 2013 with 2.3in (59mm) of rain.