Experts have issued a stark warning lives are at risk ahead of forecasters predicting temperatures could reach 40°C in the coming days.

Health chiefs fear the NHS will be overwhelmed by the number of heat-related casualties if temperatures hit the predicted highs.

Meanwhile schools are preparing to close early if temperatures do reach levels normally only seen in Death Valley in California, one of the most extreme environments in world.

Tuesday is likely to be the hottest day, with the potential to top the UK record temperature of 38.7C (101.7F) set in Cambridge in 2019, forecasters said.

The Met Office has issued an ‘amber’ extreme heat warning for much of England and Wales from Sunday until Tuesday.

The warning says the weather could cause health problems across the population, not just among people vulnerable to extreme heat, leading to potentially serious illness or danger to life.

A number of schools are taking measures to keep children safe, including cancelling sports days and closing early.

The Hereford Academy in Herefordshire has announced an earlier start and finish to the school day to try and beat the worst of the heat.

A message on its Facebook page read: ‘Due to the high temperatures due to hit next week, we will have an earlier condensed format for our final four days: Finishing earlier but starting earlier thus being away for the hottest part of the day.’

Elsewhere in the same county, a letter to parents of children at Marlbrook, Little Dewchurch and St Partin’s Primary School warned PE lessons will be scrapped and pupils won’t be allowed outside to play.

It added: ‘We are also giving parents the option to keep children at home on Monday.’

Meanwhile, Crestwood Community School in Eastleigh, Hampshire, said it was cancelling its sports day as ‘we do not feel that it is safe for students to be out in the heat all day, taking part in physical activity.’ 

And in London, the head teacher of Clapton Girls’ Academy warned of an early finish to help pupils cope with the soaring temperatures.

Cabinet Office minister Kit Malthouse has said the Government is preparing for a ‘surge’ in demand on the NHS and other services due to the expected heatwave.

After chairing a meeting of the Cobra civil contingencies committee in Whitehall, Mr Malthouse urged the public to look out for people who were particularly vulnerable in the heat.

Avanti West Coast has warned passengers who wish to use services between London Euston and Scotland to plan ahead due to the impact of the heat on rail lines.

The company said that weekend services may be cancelled at short notice while journeys on Monday and Tuesday will be subject to amended timetables.

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