A WEATHER warning has been issued by the Met Office as sweltering temperatures are predicted this week.

A status of “Heatwave Action” has been declared, which is the second most severe heatwave alert that can be given, behind “National Emergency”.

The weather service warned people to “stay out of the sun” and “keep drinking fluids”.

The alert was issued at 9.20am today and is set to last until 9am on Friday.

Brighton will see temperatures soar to highs of 30C between 4pm and 6pm on Tuesday and at 4pm on Thursday, the Met Office claims.

The Argus:

Chief Meteorologist Paul Gundersen said: “The UK will experience another pulse of high temperatures this week, with the possibility of records being broken for not only July but also all-time records.

“As well as high temperatures during the day, overnight temperatures will also be notably warm and could also break records.”

The current July record is 36.7C set at Heathrow in 2015, while the all-time UK temperature record is 38.5C, recorded in Faversham, Kent, in August 2003.

This was recorded during a heatwave which lasted ten days and resulted in more than 2,000 deaths.

A Met Office spokesman said some areas of the south east of England could see temperatures rise to 37C this week.

The service said these conditions “require social and healthcare services to target specific actions at high-risk groups”.

To prevent a repeat of the deaths in 2003, Public Health England released a Heatwave Plan.

It advised people to “follow key public health messages” and “check those you know are at risk”.

A spokesman also said: “Keep out of the sun between 11am and 3pm, avoid extreme physical exertion and, if you have to go out in the heat, walk in the shade, apply sunscreen and wear a hat and light scarf.”