Village records highest temperature

An unmanned met office station transmitted a temperature of 26.5 degrees Celsius - about ten degrees above average.

Staff at the Herstmonceux Science Centre sweltered.

Scientific director Sandra Voss said: 'People actually came into the building saying the garden was too hot.

'I was working inside all day and it was very sultry.'

Meanwhile over the road at the Brewers Arms, landlady Julie Hanks said: 'The garden was packed - two people even walked out in a huff because they were told it would be 20 minutes for a meal.'

She added: 'There were quite a lot of bare bodies - well not completely bare but people wearing sandals and sundresses instead of jumpers and boots.'