How to stay cool in the record-breaking heat in city centre

It was a record-breaking day for hot weather – Tuesday’s provisional maximum temperature of 34.3C matched the June record at Oxford’s Radcliffe Meteorological Station, first set on June 27, 1976.

Shoppers, tourists, students and office workers tried their best to stay cool but it wasn’t always easy to find some shade.

READ MORE: Red extreme heat warning extended to Friday

Yukino Ashida, from Japan, who is studying business at Oxford University’s Green Templeton College, said more people should try using umbrellas during a heatwave.

She added: “I’ve got my own shade – it’s definitely a good idea to use an umbrella in the heat when we are facing global warming.”

There was some respite from the sun’s rays in the Covered Market, where Graham MacDonald, who runs iScream gelateria, was having a busy afternoon.

Ozzy and Molly at iScream gelateria in the Covered Market (Image: Andy Ffrench)

His staff including Ozzy and Molly were kept busy serving many different flavours of gelato to customers.

“We are very busy in the afternoons serving customers – there’s a good mixture of tourists, students, regulars and passers-by,” Mr MacDonald added.

Busker Richard Christian Shama – known as Rich – stayed cool by taking his top off as he serenaded shoppers with a version of The Who’s Pinball Wizard.

Busker Rich stays cool in the heat (Image: Andy Ffrench)

And charity workers Minal Jade and Rasul Sangha from Birmingham, working for the National Deaf Children’s Society, said they were finding it difficult to stay cool.

“Staff from TG Jones gave us some water, and a woman came up and handed over some ice creams,” said Minal.

“We’re here in the heat from 9am to 7pm asking for donations – we take a 15-minute break every 30 minutes.”

Minal Jade and Rasul Sangha working for the National Deaf Children’s Society in Cornmarket (Image: Andy Ffrench)

German tourist Stephan and his friends got some cold beers in at The Plough in Cornmarket, saying it was “very hot”.

German tourists drinking beer in Oxford (Image: Andy Ffrench)

The Met Office has extended the red extreme heat warning to tomorrow (Friday, June 26), as temperatures are set to remain high across Oxfordshire.

The record-breaking June heat is expected to continue into Friday according to the forecaster, as temperatures remain at 34C.

Students Victor and Douglas with iced coffees (Image: Andy Ffrench)

This comes as the UK’s recorded its hottest June day record was broken for a third time, with highs of 36C in Surrey and Hampshire, surpassing the 1976 35C record.

The breaking of the 50-year record came as the Met Office issued a red extreme heat warning for the county and other parts of the south east of England from 9am on Wednesday, June 24, now extended until 9pm on Friday, June 26.

If temperatures reach 39C, that would make it the second hottest day in the UK on record.

If 38C is recorded, that is still in the top five days ever recorded and hotter than any day of the 20th century.

The heatwave has closed more than 100 schools across the county over the last few days, and disrupted rail services, particularly between London Paddington and Reading.