Image source, Reading Council

While the weather remains hot, designated cool spaces are available in Reading.

Cool spaces are free indoor places where you can take a break from the heat, get out of the sun, cool down and rest and get some drinking water.

Council-run cool spaces that you can access during the heat alert on Friday:

• Reading Civic Centre on Bridge Street until 17:00
• Rivermead Leisure Centre, external until 21:00

On Saturday:

• Central library only – 10:00 - 15:00

There are also a number of other not council-operated local venues offering cool spaces, external during the hot weather.

The search for a 15-year-old boy missing after going swimming in a lake has entered a third day.

The boy was last seen in the water at Testwood Lakes, near Totton, Hampshire on Wednesday at about 13:35 BST.

Police, including marine teams, have been carrying out extensive searches at the 150-acre nature reserve since he went missing.

The reserve, owned by Southern Water and managed by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, remains closed with people urged to avoid the area.

A group of mums say the current heatwave is making it increasingly difficult to keep their babies safe, as new data analysis suggests about 1.6 million children are living in homes that are too hot.

The analysis of government data by the National Housing Federation and the Chartered Institute of Housing suggested more than 70,000 - or one in six - babies in England were living in overheated homes.

And when the BBC visited the Parenting Network in Portsmouth, families described sleepless nights and rising anxiety as temperatures climbed above 36C in recent days.

Image source, BCP Council

If you have spotted gritting lorries out on the roads during the heatwave, don't worry, you're not imagining things.

Councils across the south of England have been sending out gritters, usually associated with wintry conditions, to combat melting roads.

According to Hampshire County Council, the extreme temperatures can cause road surfaces to reach between 50C and 60C (122-140F), causing bitumen to soften and become sticky, making it vulnerable to damage.

West Berkshire Council said its gritters were spreading sand or dust over the road surface as a form of "sunscreen" to absorb the softened bitumen and prevent it sticking to tyres.

Image source, Getty Images

University Hospital Southampton and Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth have declared critical incidents.

NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight also declared an area-wide critical incident due to the extreme hot weatherand said healthcare services were experiencing high demand, as well as heat impacts on buildings and equipment.

It said both South Central Ambulance Service and the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service were dealing with a higher number of calls.

Queen Alexandra Hospita, externall said the critical alert came following the failure of several chiller units supporting critical infrastructure during the ongoing heatwave.

The hospital urged people to help by collecting loved ones who are ready to leave hospital. It said "prompt and safe discharges will help free up beds for patients requiring urgent treatment and support us in response to the ongoing incident."

In Southampton the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, external said the high temperatures were affecting some systems and critical clinical services, including theatres and diagnostic imaging.

A number of planned operations and some outpatient appointments have been cancelled.

Temporary visitor restrictions are also in place with a maximum of two per bedside.

Lightning strikes were seen over the Weymouth area on Thursday night.

The dramatic forks spread across the night sky as a storm passed over the seaside town and Portland.

Dorset has a Met Office yellow thunderstorm warning, external in place until 10:00 BST.

Image source, Getty

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, SWR

Several rail operators have extended their reduced service due to the extreme heat.

Great Western Railway, , externalSouth Western Railway, external and Cross Country, external are all urging those travelling to, from or within the red and amber weather warning zone today to only travel if absolutely necessary.

If you hold a ticket for travel on Tuesday 23 June, Wednesday 24 June, Thursday 25 June or Friday 26 June you can use it instead to travel any day up to and including Tuesday 30 June.

There is no extra cost and you will not need to change your ticket.

Image source, Getty Images

Many schools in the south are partly or fully closed for the fourth day due to the heatwave.

Schools usually contact parents in their own ways, often through apps or messaging services.

Hampshire County Council, external and West Berkshire Council, external, publish lists of reported emergency closures.

Oxfordshire County Council,, external also shares a list of schools that have closed suddenly, based on information provided by the schools themselves.

Children at some schools remaining open have been told they can wear PE kit rather than full school uniform.

Indy Almroth-Wright
BBC South

Image source, BBC Weather Watcher S Pace

It's Friday and a Met Office red warning for extreme heat, external, is in place for a third day covering some parts of Hampshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire until 21:00 BST - alongside an amber zone covering a wider area until midnight.

In Dorset there's a yellow thunderstorm warning until 10:00.

Many schools in the red and amber weather warning zones are either closed or open only in the morning due to the heat.

People are being urged to avoid traveling to, from, or within the red and amber warning areas by train today unless it’s absolutely necessary.

The high temperatures are set to continue to impact us all overnight and into tomorrow.

We're closing our live coverage for tonight.

But please try to stay cool and hydrated. We'll be back with more updates in the morning.

With an overnight low of 20.9C Reading saw its hottest night ever recorded last night, according to the University of Reading, external, which has been tracking temperatures since 1908.

And temperatures across the South shot up today with provisional figures from the Met Office showing Otterbourne in Hampshire hitting 35C and Bournemouth Airport clocking 34C at 14:00 BST.

Wednesday's new record UK June temperature of 36.1C in Gosport, Hampshire was eclipsed by Yeovilton, Somerset on Thursday.

As NHS trusts in Hampshire and Isle of Wight declare critical incidents, health authorities have re-emphasised guidelines for coping with the hot weather.

• Stay hydrated – drink plenty of fluids regularly and avoid waiting until you feel thirsty.
• Keep cool – stay indoors or in shaded areas where possible, particularly during the hottest parts of the day.
• Protect yourself from the sun – wear loose, light-coloured clothing, use sunscreen, wear a hat and take breaks from direct sunlight.
• Plan ahead – avoid unnecessary travel or strenuous activity during the hottest times of the day.
• Check on others – particularly older people, babies and young children, people with long-term health conditions, and those who may need additional support.
• Keep medicines stored safely – some medicines can be affected by heat; speak to your pharmacist or healthcare professional if you are unsure.

Patrick O'Hagan
Political reporter, Berkshire

People seem to be taking heed of the heatwave warnings. I've just driven in and out of Reading town centre. Normally the round trip would take me around 45 minutes.

Today I was there and back in just 15 minutes. On the way back I stopped off at Palmer Park.

Walking up to the play area at 15:30 BST, it would normally be full of schoolchildren playing while their parents watched on.

Not today though ... deserted. The only word for it.

The Royal Windsor Dog Show has been cancelled due to extreme heat.

The four-day show in Home Park, organised by the Windsor Dog Show Society had been set to get under way today and run until Sunday.

Show secretary Rachael Corr said: “The decision has been taken with everyone's welfare in mind in this unique situation of extreme weather at the time of the show.

"The dogs continue to be at the heart of our decision making and their welfare is paramount. We would like to offer our sincere apologies for the inconvenience this undoubtedly will have caused”.

There are no plans to reschedule the show in 2026.

Image source, Getty Images

The AA says it has attended 54% more overheating breakdowns over the past week compared with the previous week.

The Basingstoke-based roadside recovery service noted that roads might have appeared quieter this morning as people chose to work from home or avoid unnecessary journeys.

It said: "For those who do choose to drive, AA advice is to make sure their vehicle is ready for the challenge.

"Check that coolant, oil and fuel, or electric charge levels, are sufficient for the journey, and allow for the possibility of delays or diversions."

We've got some more details on South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) declaring a critical incident due to the extreme heat.

Mark Ainsworth, executive director of operations said it would "continue to prioritise patients with the most serious injuries and illnesses".

He said: “We recognise that response times are longer than they should be and that’s why we’ve called the incident, to ensure everything possible is being done to improve the position.”

SCAS said rising call volumes and more complex patient needs were increasing pressure, alongside added strain from other NHS services diverting demand and causing longer emergency department handover times.

It added that resources will be prioritised, frontline staffing boosted through redeployment and overtime, and fleet availability maximised.

South Central Ambulance Service declares a critical incident due to the extreme heat and a significant increase in response times for serious emergencies.

More than 60 emergency 999 calls were received after a pylon caught fire in a field in Christchurch, Dorset, on Wednesday, a fire service has said.

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said Christchurch firefighters attended near Avon Buildings in the town at about 20:15 BST but found the fire had burned itself out by the time they arrived. Crews left by about 22:00.

With thunderstorms forecast later, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council is advising beachgoers to take care.

It warned of strong offshore and cross-shore winds, lightning, heavy rain and hail, gusts from between 50 to 60mph and fast-changing and rough sea conditions from 18:00 BST on Thursday.

The council issued the following safety advice:

• Do not assume the water is safe just because it is calm or sunny
• Be ready to leave the water and coastline immediately if conditions change
• Think carefully before swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking or sailing
• Stay together with a friend or family member
• Choose a lifeguarded beach, external and swim between the red and yellow flags. If you get into trouble in the water, remember to Float To Live

• In an emergency and if life is in danger – or if you see anyone in trouble in the water, dial 999 immediately
• Enter the sea slowly with caution and give your body time to get used to the water to avoid cold water shock

Falling tree branches could be another consequency of the hot weather. The Basingstoke Canal Authority has advised visitors to be aware after it received reports of several dropped limbs in recent days.

It said large, aging trees are most susceptible to summer branch drop syndrome, which is a natural phenomenon where a mature, seemingly healthy tree unexpectedly sheds a large branch on a calm, hot, and dry day.

Walkers along the canal towpath have been advised to take care when passing under trees and listen out for "ominous cracking noises", which could be an early warning sign of a falling branch.

Image source, Basingstoke Canal Authority