A town in Sussex has recorded the UK’s warmest ever June night.
The new national record was set on Friday, June 26, when temperatures in Hastings did not fall below 23.2°C. This surpassed the previous UK record of 22.7°C, set on the Isle of Wight in 1976.
The daily minimum temperature was recorded by the Hastings Weather Service, whose volunteers have been collecting daily weather data since 1875.
Jo Walker, lead councillor for climate, nature and green spaces, said: "This news is extremely worrying.
"Setting a new national temperature record is a reminder that climate change is not a distant issue – it is happening now.
"Higher temperatures can have a serious impact on nature, with water sources drying up, wildfires damaging important habitats and fewer food sources available for wildlife.
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"This is another reminder of why climate action remains so important."
Ms Walker also praised the volunteers behind the long-running weather service.
She said: "Thank you to our dedicated volunteers for their hard work and commitment.
"Reaching this new record really highlights the importance of long-term weather records."
Hastings Weather Service publishes its findings locally and submits them daily to the Met Office, where the data is used to validate their forecasting and contributes to the long-term UK climate record.
One member of the weather team said: "In an era of climate change, this is not a record to welcome but is a sign of the times and possibly what the future holds."
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