UK swelters in third heatwave of the year as western Europe counts cost of hottest-ever June

Britain expands heat alerts while estimates suggest June’s death toll could surpass 20,000 across continent

The UK is sweltering through the peak of its third heatwave of the year as countries around Europe struggle to recover from an early onslaught of baking summer heat.

Punishing temperatures pushed higher by fossil fuel pollution have broken records across the continent in recent weeks. Western Europe experienced its hottest June on record, scientists confirmed on Thursday, accompanied by high global ocean temperatures that could cause “mass-mortality events” for some species.