UK's highest temperature since 2006 recorded

At Wimbledon, Australian fans showed how to cope with the heat

Wednesday has seen the highest temperature recorded in the UK for almost a decade, with the thermometer hitting 36.7 degrees Celsius in north-west London.

There is plenty of health advice about keeping cool - both for humans and animals.

Temperatures are expected to drop to 25 degrees Celsius on Thursday, with the possibility of thunderstorms.

The UK's previous hottest temperature on record was 36.5C, recorded at Wisley, Surrey, in 2006.

In the ticket queue at Wimbledon, other spectators prepared themselves for a day in the sun

In Blackpool, the only way to keep cool was to dive right in

Reindeer in Seaham County Durham were hosed down to help them cope with the heat

The Duchess of Cornwall used a parasol to keep the sun at bay at Hampton Court Flower Show

Ice cream was another popular way of cooling down at the Norfolk Show near Norwich, England

Others took advantage of the hot weather to go wakeboarding in Salford Quays

Sydney Salter's dogs, Max and Sam, found it too hot to do anything too physical

While a chimpanzee at Chester Zoo cooled down with an ice lolly

Flash, from West Bridgford, near Nottingham, is staying cool with a horse-sized paddling pool