BRIGHTON recorded its hottest temperature yet during the heatwave which saw wildfires break out across the country.

The nearest weather station to the city, in Shoreham, recorded temperatures of 33.4C on Tuesday, according to the Met Office. It was hotter than Honolulu, Miami, Cape Town, Benidorm and Tenerife.

This exceeded the 1976 record reported at a weather station in Brighton by almost a full degree  - that figure, recorded on June 30, 1976, was 32.3C.

It comes just days after the weather service confirmed that Sussex endured its hottest day yet during the heatwave earlier this week, with temperatures hitting 37.7C in the village of Herstmonceux.

Thousands of people flocked to the coast to soak up the sun.

The Argus: A drone captured the thousands of people on Brighton beach as temperatures topped 33CA drone captured the thousands of people on Brighton beach as temperatures topped 33C (Image: The Argus)

Highs of over 40C were reported for the first time in the UK on Tuesday. Thermometers reached 40.3C in Conningsby in Lincolnshire.

Wildfires broke out due to the intense heat in London and the Home Counties, with the London Fire Brigade experiencing its busiest day since the Blitz in the Second World War.

Dr Nikos Christidis, climate scientist at the Met Office, said that climate change has increased the likelihood of extremely hot days in the UK, especially in South East England.

He said: “Climate change has already influenced the likelihood of temperature extremes in the UK.

“The chances of seeing 40C days in the UK could be as much as ten times more likely in the current climate than under a natural climate unaffected by human influence.

“The likelihood of exceeding 40C anywhere in a given year has also been rapidly increasing, and, even with current pledges on emissions reductions, such extremes could be taking place every 15 years in the climate of 2100.”