London Ambulance Service experienced its busiest ever day on Friday as the capital buckled under the third day of a red-alert heatwave that has smashed record temperatures in June.
The control room was inundated with 8,869 emergency calls and called out to no fewer than 688 life-threatening incidents, as members pf the public suffered heart attacks and breathing troubles
Over 500 calls an hour were made to the service from 6pm to midnight.
Demand on the service exceeded that of the Covid-19 pandemic - with a critical incident declared between 10pm and 1.30am, the Daily Mail reports.
London Ambulance Service wrote on X: "Yesterday was our busiest day in history. Thank you to all our crews and call handlers.
"Please only use 999 in a life-threatening emergency."
Friday was the hottest June date on record, as temperatures soared to 37.3C in Suffolk, the Met Office said.
Temperatures remain high on Saturday as NHS England urged members of the public to take safety measures when watching the England play in the World Cup, including avoiding excessive drinking.
Other advice includes alternating alcoholic drinks with water, staying in the shade during the midday heat of 11am to 3pm, and wearing light, loose clothing.
Hot weather significantly increases the risk of dehydration and heatstroke, and fans are adviced to pace their drinking and watch for early symptoms of heat exhaustion.
Craig Harman, Chief Operating Officer at London Ambulance Service, said: "I couldn't be prouder of our staff and volunteers, who have worked tirelessly through the hottest days of the year and the busiest period in our history to continue to provide Londoners with care and compassion.
"Despite bringing in more than 400 additional ambulance crews and increasing staffing across our 999 and 111 control rooms, demand has remained exceptionally high this week.
"We have now stood down the critical incident but remain very busy. If you're enjoying the sunshine or cheering on England this evening, please stay hydrated, drink responsibly and look after each other."
