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A pub worker who left a piece of steak in their car for five hours returned to find it cooked well done as Australia continues to endure a severe heatwave.

The member of staff at Mildura Dockside Café in Victoria posted the shocking pictures as temperatures soared above 40C.

They posted the pictures as a warning “never to leave children, elderly or animals in the car.”

The porterhouse steak managed to cook even though the car was parked in the shade.

The café posted on Facebook: “Yesterday at 11am I put a porterhouse steak in my car which was parked in the shade and left it until 4pm. It was very well done upon my return.

“With this heat wave please remember never to leave children, elderly or animals in the car.

“Always check on elderly neighbours, ensure your pets have a way to keep cool and cool drinking water.

“Also always remember down at Dockside we have plenty of activities to cool you down, yummy cold drinks, great aircon and we are pet friendly out on the deck.”

Many areas of Northern Victoria have recorded their hottest days since records began, while the Bureau of Meteorology warned there were fire dangers because of the heat and lower than average rainfall.

The member of staff told café customers that they didn’t eat the steak, with one saying “looks tough... should have gone back at two.”

They were also asked if their car smelt afterwards, but the worker said: “Surprisingly not really.

“It smelt like steak when I opened the door, but when I took it out to examine it, I also turned my car on with full aircon to cool down so I wouldn't cook.

“When I got in to leave, it smelt like nothing.”