To put that in perspective,Ray Ban Sunglasses Outlet, Sydney had 18 days with temperatures in that range in January alone.

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Nevertheless, the Brits are being vigilant. People in the South East, East and Midlands have been told to keep out of the sun between 11am and 3pm.

They are also advised to turn off non-essential lights and electrical equipment, to avoid generating excess heat, and wear a hat or light scarf if venturing outdoors. Public Health England said people should keep curtains closed, move to a cooler room to sleep, and should eat salad, drink plenty of water and avoid extreme physical exertion.

Schools have been advised to monitor overweight children and encourage youngsters to play in the shade.

They have also been asked to avoid leaving computers and printers on standby mode.

The UK heatwave period is expected to begin on Thursday and temperatures are forecast to climb to about 32C by Friday.

Meanwhile in Sydney, temperatures this week will reach a maximum of 20.

Key cities across Australia in January this year.

Ten days of heat in England in August 2003, when temperatures reached a record 38.5C, led to an extra 2139 deaths and prompted the NHS to draw up a heatwave plan with local authorities and the emergency services.

Dr Paul Cosford, of Public Health England, said: While many people enjoy hot weather, high temperatures can be dangerous, especially for people who may be particularly vulnerable, such as older people, young children and those with serious illnesses.

Many members of the Muslim community may be fasting during the current period of Ramadan. During hot weather it s important to balance food and fluid intake between fasts and especially to drink enough water.

Telegraph, UK, with smh.com.au