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BRITAIN'S 40C heatwave has finally been brought to an end by thunderstorms and lightning amid Met Office warnings heavy showers could cause travel chaos.

After being soaked in sunshine on the hottest day on record, a yellow weather warning is due to kick in for parts of the country - with heavy rain forecast.

Lightning striking in Elmley, Kent, during a thunderstorm last night
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Lightning striking in Elmley, Kent, during a thunderstorm last nightCredit: Alamy
Forecasters have warned Brits to expect disruption to travel where thunderstorms hit
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Forecasters have warned Brits to expect disruption to travel where thunderstorms hitCredit: Alamy
Sunbathers pictured in Bournemouth on Tuesday
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Sunbathers pictured in Bournemouth on TuesdayCredit: BNPS
Beachgoers heading for cover as rain hit Bournemouth
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Beachgoers heading for cover as rain hit BournemouthCredit: Simon Jones
Rain hit parts of the country last night after temperatures soared to the hottest on record
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Rain hit parts of the country last night after temperatures soared to the hottest on recordCredit: PA
A yellow storm warning is in place from 1pm tomorrow
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A yellow storm warning is in place from 1pm tomorrowCredit: Met Office

The warning issued by the Met Office - starting from 1pm on Wednesday - covers areas in southern and eastern England including Peterborough, Norwich, Oxford and London.

Forecasters have warned Brits to expect travel disruption where storms cause flooding and lightning strikes.

But temperatures are set to rise again within days with highs of 27C currently forecast for Sunday.

It comes after it hit 40.3C in Coningsby, Lincolnshire, yesterday, the Met Office said.

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And at least 29 observation sites across England provisionally broke 2019’s previous UK record temperature of 38.7C, meteorologists said.

Scotland also had its hottest day on record, with temperatures reaching 34.8C in Charterhall, provisional data shows.

Records first began in 1910, and the Met Office responsible for keeping track of temperatures ever since.

The record applies only to the UK, with Tuesday's 40.3C dwarfed by the world-record 56.7C recorded in California in 1913.

Despite another day of travel chaos, huge crowds rushed to parks and beaches across the country.

Thousands of workers worked from home again amid fears of rail chaos.

Monday was the warmest night in the UK since records began, as Met Office forecasters recorded highs of 25.9C in Emley Moor, near Huddersfield.

Yesterday a string of fires broke out across the South East and the London Fire Service declared the situation a major incident.

Tragically, a man in his 20s became the thirteenth person to die in the heatwave.

It came after a 14-year-old boy was feared to have drowned after getting into difficulties in the Thames in Richmond, West London.

Brighton beach was packed this week
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Brighton beach was packed this weekCredit: PA
Student Julia, 22, from Brazil enjoyed Britain's hottest day on Bournemouth beach
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Student Julia, 22, from Brazil enjoyed Britain's hottest day on Bournemouth beachCredit: Simon Jones
Ciara Macdonald, 21, cools off at Petersfield Open Air Pool in Hampshire
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Ciara Macdonald, 21, cools off at Petersfield Open Air Pool in HampshireCredit: Chris Gorman Big ladder
Brits exercised in the early-morning sunshine in Greenwich Park, London
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Brits exercised in the early-morning sunshine in Greenwich Park, LondonCredit: LNP

And cops scrambled to save a 16-year-old boy after he began struggling in Bray Lake, Maidenhead, Berkshire, at around 11.45am.

A total of 21 train operators have announced slower services to stop tracks buckling - with Network Rail warning commuters that train times could more than double due to speed restrictions.

And the chances of services returning to normal by midweek will depend on any "damage that the weather does to the infrastructure" on Monday and Tuesday, travellers have been told.

Network Rail has issued a "do not travel" warning on Tuesday to areas that fall within the Met Office's extreme heat warning zone.

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No Thameslink or Great Northern services are scheduled to run north from London all day.

And around 220,000 passengers will be hit as all East Coast Main Line services from London King's Cross are called off in the heat.

Sunseekers were seen jumping from a bridge and into the cool water below in Yorkshire
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Sunseekers were seen jumping from a bridge and into the cool water below in YorkshireCredit: SWNS
Brits piled onto packed tube carriages in London this morning
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Brits piled onto packed tube carriages in London this morningCredit: PA
Sunbathers flocked to Durdle Door in Dorset
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Sunbathers flocked to Durdle Door in DorsetCredit: ©Graham Hunt
One man was seen plunging into the sea to cool off
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One man was seen plunging into the sea to cool offCredit: ©Graham Hunt
Hardy Brits took to the beach despite the surging heat
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Hardy Brits took to the beach despite the surging heatCredit: ©Graham Hunt
Ice cream freezers at Waitrose, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, were empty as Brits sought ways to cool down
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Ice cream freezers at Waitrose, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, were empty as Brits sought ways to cool downCredit: Georgie Gillard / Story Picture Agency
Some lucky Brits are able to cool off from the heat in the world's first floating pool in London
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Some lucky Brits are able to cool off from the heat in the world's first floating pool in LondonCredit: Twitter
Families set up on the beach in Bournemouth this morning as they brace for another sunny day
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Families set up on the beach in Bournemouth this morning as they brace for another sunny dayCredit: w8media
The London Underground was crowded with people on Tuesday
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The London Underground was crowded with people on TuesdayCredit: LNP
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