Northumberland swelters as temperatures soar higher than parts of Portugal and Turkey

The thermometer hit 31C (87F) at Albermarle, near Stamfordham, on Monday afternoon.

And it wasn’t far behind on the traditionally cooler Northumberland coast with 28C (82F) recorded at Boulmer.

Many people headed for the coast and a dip in the sea in a bid to cool off.

However, warnings about the dangers of swimming in open water were issued following the death of 13-year-old schoolboy Robert Hattersley in the River Tyne, near Ovingham.

An amber weather warning is in place until Tuesday.

Much of Europe is also in the grip of a heatwave but Lisbon in Portugal and Istanbul in Turkey were both cooler than parts of Northumberland on Monday.