Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Dr Angie Bone of Public Health England offers some tips and dispels some myths on staying cool

In the week the sunshine never ends, the UK is close to matching a sizzling June run not seen in two decades.

If Wednesday's temperature tops 30C - and forecasters confidently predict it will - that will be five days in a row.

The last June that we sweltered for so long was 1995, when the heat affected us so much Robson and Jerome stayed at number one for the entire month.

And if Wednesday reaches 33.9C, it will be the warmest day in any June since 1976 - the classic long hot summer.

BBC Weather says it is "very likely" that these temperatures will be reached this week.

The Met Office has issued an amber Level 3 heat warning until Thursday.

It has advised people to stay out of the sun and to show awareness for people who may be vulnerable people, such as the elderly.

Weather Watchers' picture gallery

Tuesday is the fourth consecutive day where the temperatures have exceeded 30C somewhere in the UK.

Monday was the UK's hottest day of the year so far, with 32.5C being reached at Hampton Water Works in Greater London.

Image copyright PA Image caption It's not just humans who need to keep cool - animals do too

Of course, not all of the UK has seen particularly high temperatures - Edinburgh hovered around 18C on Tuesday, while Belfast was about 19C.

However, by early afternoon on Tuesday it was 27C in Bristol, 30C in Chivenor and 30C in Hampton Water Works.

And excessive heat should be seen in its proper context. While these temperatures are high for the temperate climate of the UK, they are lower than many parts of the world usually experience.

For countries like Portugal where fires are currently raging and people have died, heat can be particularly deadly, while heat waves in India can also prove fatal.

And even in the UK, the heat can be problematic for older people, leading to bodies like the NHS, the charity Age UK, and the Royal Voluntary Service all issuing advice for the elderly when the temperatures rise.

These include:

Drinking six to eight glasses of water or fruit juices a day

Dressing appropriately, such as in a hat and loose-fitting, light-coloured clothes

Staying out of the sun during hottest parts of the day

Also the RSPCA regularly issues warnings about the dangers of leaving dogs in hot cars.

And for those (human) Britons simply trying to get a good night's rest, there's the #TooHotToSleep hashtag on Twitter.

But the British obsession with its recent temperatures has given rise to the rolling of eyes in other parts of the world, especially places like Australia.

The news.com.au website has written a story about Brits not coping with our temperatures "as high as, hmm, 32C".

Suffice to say, some of the reaction to this story on Facebook has not been sympathetic.

"You sure wouldn't want to be in Australia in the middle of summer. Walk outside and you'll look like a shrimp on the Barbie," writes Julie Rae, while Mark Whiting scoffs that Britons "need to get out more".

He also mentions how the town of Birdsville "nudges the 50C mark".

However, a few people commenting on that same story have offered a more understanding point of view.

Lawton Rose points out that "the UK is just not built for this sort of weather", while Australian Daniel Richardson also posted that hot weather feels like "a different kind of heat when you live in an old city designed to mostly just handle cold".

Perhaps those Aussies with scathing views of Brits sweltering in the heat are grumpy because it's their winter right now. Just take a look at Bondi Beach.

Image copyright Getty Images

Meanwhile, in much of the UK...