PETERSFIELD Open Air Pool was full of swimmers on the day billed as the hottest day of the year so far.

Last Friday (June 17) the temperature reached 340C (930F) in parts of the south east – in Petersfield it topped at about 260C (79F).

The Met Office said the mercury reached 32.40C (900F) at Heathrow just after midday on Friday.

And the hot weather saw the pool next to the Festival Hall car park fill with swimmers, with sessions busy right through from 6.30am opening to closing at 6pm.

School swimming lessons from 9.15am to 11.15am saw lucky pupils cooling off in the 25-metre pool as the temperature climbed.

A level two heat warning for Friday was issued for the south by the Met Office.

The heatwave – disrupted by showers over the weekend – picked up again on Monday.

But it will tail off after today (Wednesday) when it is forecast to be 230C (73.50F)here, with temperatures in Petersfield predicted to fall to around 160C (610F) by Sunday.

The highest-recorded June UK temperature was 35.60C (96.80F) at Southampton’s Mayflower Park on June 28, 1976 –the hottest summer for more than 350 years.

For pool information visit the website at https://petersfieldpool.org/ or contact staff on 01730 265143.