Extreme weather is on the rise, with the UK hotter and wetter than it has been for decades.

According to the latest figures from the Met Office, 2017 was the fifth hottest year on record – and nine of the 10 hottest years over the past century have taken place since 2002.

The average temperature for the past decade was 0.8C higher than the 30-year period ending in 1990.

Despite the recent drought – which was not included in the new analysis – UK summers have also been getting wetter, with a 20 per cent increase in rainfall compared to that baseline period.

“Our climate is changing, globally and here in the UK. People may not recall 2017 as having been a particularly warm year, with a relatively wet summer and snow in December,” said Dr Mark McCarthy, manager of the Met Office National Climate Information Centre.

“Despite this, when looking at the longer-term perspective 2017 was still more than 1C above the 1961-1990 baseline and ranks fifth warmest year overall for the UK.”

Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Show all 15 1 /15 Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Crop marks show of the old garden at Gawthorpe Hall, Lancashire Lancashire Council / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Garden at Gawthorpe Hall, Lancashire which was taken out in the 1940's but can now be seen again through the parched grass Lancashire Council / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Remnants of WWII Air raid shelters on Jesus Green in Cambridge show up in the parched grass SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Old crop marks in Norfolk show up Mike Page / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Info showing how crop marks are made SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Old parts of RAF Lasham's airfield show up in the parched grass in Hampshire Jordan Bridge / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Crop marks near Langstone, Newport RCAHMW / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Crop marks show in Tregaron, Wales RCAHMW/SWNS Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Remnants of Caistor Roman town in Norfolk Mike Page / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Penllwyn Roman fort in Ceregigion, Wales RCAHMW / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Crop marks show in Tregaron, Wales RCAHMW / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Old parts of RAF Lasham's airfield Jordan Bridge / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Roman site near Magor, South Wales RCAHMW / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Old crop marks in Norfolk Mike Page / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Cross Oak hill fort in Talybont, Wales RCAHMW / SWNS.com

Overall, the decade saw eight per cent more rainfall and six per cent more sunshine, showing that weather at both ends of the spectrum is getting more extreme.

As a heatwave scorched the nation last week, MPs released a report calling for action to deal with the UK’s rising temperatures.

“We must do everything we can to protect our iconic landscapes and native plants and animals from the stresses of climate change,” said Mary Creagh, chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, which released the report.

“This fascinating report from the Met Office is a timely reminder, alongside this summer’s heatwave, that our country is going to come under greater pressure from warmer, wetter summers in the future.”

Ms Creagh said climate change “will have profound impacts on everyone”. The committee concluded that heat-related deaths are likely to triple by the middle of the century unless the government acts urgently.

“We need to take steps now to help our children cope with the extreme changes and challenges that lie ahead in a world that is warmer by 1.5C,” she said.

The Central Line in the heatwave: How hot is it?

Research published by an international team as the heatwave was coming to a close revealed the European heatwave was made over twice as likely by climate change.

Besides setting records for temperature and rainfall, Met Office figures also showed that average sea level around the country has risen at a rate of around 1.4 mm every year since the start of the 20th century – an overall rise of about 16 cm.

“Climate change is not just a problem for others – this report shows that it affects us here in the UK,” said Dr Stephen Cornelius, chief advisor for climate change at WWF.

“We’re in the age of consequences – extreme weather such as we’ve experienced this summer threatens our health, our water supplies, and our natural world. These extreme events will become normal if we don’t heed these warnings and act with urgency.