More than 2,700 people may have died in exceptional May and June heatwaves in England and Wales

More than 2,700 people may have died from heat-related causes in England and Wales during the exceptionally hot weather in May and June, experts' estimates suggest.

The figure, from a team at Imperial College London, the Met Office and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, is based on what's known about the dangers of extreme heat.

Most deaths will have occurred in the June heatwave, they say - the warmest June on record in England, when temperatures hit 37.7C (99.9F) at Lingwood, Norfolk, smashing the previous high of 35.6C set in 1957.

A rare red heat alert, external was issued for parts of England and Wales at the time, warning even healthy people of the significant risk to life.

Many UK homes are not built to cope, leaving people vulnerable to prolonged, high temperatures.

Heat puts immense physical strain on the body, made worse if you are dehydrated, with the heart pumping harder and faster to cool you off.

Babies and older people are among those most at risk of harm, as well as those with existing health conditions.

It can lead to more heart attacks, strokes and other potentially fatal emergencies.

Intense heat can affect anyone, including fit and healthy people, and is dubbed a 'silent killer' because early symptoms are easily overlooked.

And when the hot air is very wet or humid, like it was in June, it's more difficult for the body to cool down through sweating.

Prof Fredi Otto, an expert in climate science at Imperial who was involved in the research, told the BBC's Today Programme: "Don't underestimate the risks. Just because you're fit and healthy, you're not safe."

Read full story

Source: BBC News, 13 July 2026