Tomorrow could be the hottest day since records began in the UK as temperatures of 39C have been predicted for parts of Britain.

The Met Office are predicting a 60 percent chance it could reach 39C in the south east, beating the highest temperature ever recorded of 38.5C in Faversham, Kent, in 2003.

Large swathes of Britain were kept awake overnight by constant and intense lightning strikes as the country sweltered.

Thunderstorms moved into southern and western areas late on Tuesday evening, with the Met Office issuing a yellow severe weather warning for most of England, Wales and Scotland until 9am on Wednesday.

Rail passengers faced delays and cancellations after lightning strikes damaged signalling equipment.

It was widely tipped that Tuesday would become Britain's hottest night on record, but the peak of 21C at St James' Park in London didn't come close to the 23.9C measured in Brighton on August 3, 1990.