Five dead including four teenagers as health authorities issue heat warning on UK's hottest May day
Thousands of Brits flocked to the beach over the long weekend
Four teenagers have died at separate beauty spots over the Bank Holiday weekend as the UK saw its hottest May day recorded on Tuesday with temperatures reaching 35C.
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Three boys and a 15-year-old girl lost their lives in Lincolnshire, West and South Yorkshire, as well as Warwickshire over the weekend.
A 13-year-old boy died in hospital after being pulled from the water at a popular swimming spot in Halifax at around 3.20pm on Monday.
Then hours later, the body of the girl was recovered from a lake at a country park in Warwickshire.
South Yorkshire Police also responded to reports that a teenager had gone into the lake at Rother Valley County Park in Rotherham.
His body was recovered in the early hours of Tuesday. Emergency services recovered his body in the early hours of this morning.
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It came a day after 15-year-old Declan Sawyer drowned at Swanholme Lakes in Lincoln at around 2.30pm on Sunday.
A man in his 60s also died from cardiac arrest after trying to save a relative who got into difficulty in the water at a Cornish beach on Monday.
It comes as the Met Office confirmed Tuesday was the UK's hottest recorded May day in history, with temperatures reaching 35C in Heathrow and Kew Gardens, a da after the record was beaten on Monday with highs of 34.8C.
An amber health warning has been extended by 24 hours for several regions in England.
Following the deaths, Declan's father Carl paid tribute to the "funny and outgoing young man" and stressed no parent should go through the same ordeal.
“He had a very cheeky smile and the personality to match. He was very much loved by his friends and family, and will be missed dearly by many," he said.
He added: "We would like to raise awareness about children playing near any rivers or lakes in the hot weather. Please can all parents, friends and family make their children aware of the dangers surrounding water."
The UK Health Security Agency have said amber alerts for the South West, South East, London, East and West Midlands and the East of England will remain in place until 5pm on Thursday May 28, along with yellow alerts for the North West and North East.
The alerts had previously been in place until 5pm on Wednesday May 27.
The heat could be reduced because thunderstorm warnings have been issued for parts of the South West, West Midlands, East Midlands and East of England between 3pm and 10pm on Tuesday.
Isolated thunderstorms with lightning, hail and gusty winds are expected, the Met Office said, while there is potential for 30mm of rain in less than an hour.
The RAC has warned drivers to ensure their windscreen wipers are fit for purpose ahead of the storms.
"With thunderstorms forecast which could result in 30mm of rain in less than an hour, it’s vital windscreen wipers are fit for purpose," a spokesperson for the breakdown service said.
The UK experienced a "tropical night" on Monday as the record for the warmest minimum temperature for May was broken for the second consecutive day.
Temperatures did not fall below 20C overnight on Monday in parts of the UK, with 21.3C recorded at Kenley Airfield, south London.
Met Office chief forecaster Andy Page said the "exceptional" late-spring heat will continue for much of this week, with more "tropical nights expected."
"Last night provisionally recorded the warmest May night on record, and we’re likely to see further very warm nights in the south over the coming days,” he said.
"We were particularly concerned by reports at the weekend about an increase in the number of motorists around England and Wales who were prosecuted for not maintaining their windscreen wipers, something which is crucial during a thunderstorm."
The RAC had a 20% increase in car breakdowns over the bank holiday, the spokesperson added.