The Met Office has forecast when the UK heatwave is set to end as temperatures are expected to drop by 15C.

A red heat warning is in place, stretching from London across to Somerset and Swansea, and to Birmingham, lasting until midnight today (Thursday).

An amber warning has also been extended until 9pm on Saturday, as temperatures are expected to continue to climb above previous record-breaking highs.

The forecaster warned that further updates could still be made to these alerts as conditions develop.

The Met Office said: “As the forecast continues to evolve, we may need to issue further updates once more detail becomes clear.”

On Thursday, temperatures are forecast to reach 40C in some areas, with widespread temperatures of above 37C expected.

The heatwave has already caused widespread disruption to schools and across transport networks - with closures and reduced timetables remaining in place.

Overnight temperatures are also exceptionally high, as they are not expected to drop under 20C in urban areas.

Wednesday’s high breaks the previous top temperature for June of 35.6C in 1976 and 1957, the forecaster said.

The weather channel said that the exceptional heat will spread northwards on Thursday, “with an even hotter day ahead for some with amber and red extreme heat warnings in force”.

The heatwave is driven by a “heat-dome” settling over western Europe that has brought extreme conditions across the continent.

And the extreme heat is set to linger in some parts of the country into the weekend.

However, an end is in sight as the humid days and nights are expected to ease over the weekend, with cooler temperatures forecast from Sunday.

Explaining when temperatures will begin to drop, the Met Office said: “Thursday will see the peak of the heat for many, though those further east will retain extreme heat on Friday and Saturday and could continue to see further impacts, which has resulted in Amber warnings.

“The far southeast will retain the warmth the longest, though there should be a climb-down in figures by Saturday, with peaks around 32C likely.

“Next week is likely to see a change to more of a westerly influence on the UK’s weather, with a return to more average temperatures for the time of year and a mixture of winds and rain, particularly for those in the North West.”

By Sunday, temperatures could be around 15C cooler, with Cardiff forecast just 20C and London expected to see highs of 26C.

Following the rare red warnings and health alerts the fall in temperature is likely to be welcomed by many across the nation following the chaos that has erupted.