The people of Britain have ditched their offices and headed to the seaside as one of hottest days of the year sizzles the Isles.
While Boris Johnson was busy winning the Conservative leadership election Brits up and down the country focused on the important matter of swapping their work clothes for swimwear.
Stunning pictures of beaches across the land show huge crowds making the most of the weather .
A great sea of gloriously colourful parasols lined the sea front in Dorset resort Lyme Regis, where temperatures reached 26C.
Woolacombe pipped it to the 'most crowded beach' award however.
Snaps of the Devon beach show thousands of sun worshippers stuffed onto the sandy shore.
The pebble beaches of Brighton and Folkestone, where the mercury peaked at 31C and 29C respectively today, played hosts to people of all ages desperate to feel the cooling sea breeze.
Bournemouth looked positively tropical with cerulean seas meeting bright yellow sand and a colourful riot of beachgoers.
Over in Wales Langland Bay in Swansea provided a piece of long sandy coast against a backdrop of verdant green countryside.
Only the deep beach at Tyenmouth in north east England had enough room to comfortably hold the many frazzled Brits who wanted to be by the sea.
Today's sweltering heat - which saw parts of London comfortably reach the mid thirties - is the result of an 'African plume' sweeping in from the south.
In Manchester, 'tarmac bubbles' appeared in some streets as the relentless sun beamed down all afternoon.
While the weather front ensured few places across the country were too far away from the 30C mark, hotter weather is still to come.
Thursday will bring the hottest weather of the week, with highs of 36C and a fair share of sunshine.
As glorious as the weather has been across the UK today, it could take a dramatic turn this evening.
A thunderstorm warning has been issued prompting fears of power cuts and travel chaos across the UK.
Scattered storms moving north tonight and early Wednesday could lead teo some outages and travel delays, the Met Office said.
The warning went into force today and will affect parts of the country from 6pm until 9am tomorrow
The Met Office warning claims homes and businesses could lose power and be damaged by lightning strikes, hail and strong winds.
