- The Met Office has issued a new amber warning for extreme heat across eastern and central England for Friday.
- This follows a rare red weather warning already in force for large parts of the UK , which is set to last until 9pm on Thursday.
- Record-breaking temperatures of 40C are anticipated on Wednesday, affecting areas from London to Somerset and Swansea, and up to Birmingham.
- The extreme heat is expected to cause widespread disruption, including travel chaos and school closures, with thousands of children staying home.
- The Met Office indicated that further updates on the evolving extreme weather conditions may be issued.
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