After warmest night, Britain braces for record temperature

A woman uses a hat to shield her face from the sun in Trafalgar Square during the hot weather in London, Britain, July 18, 2022. REUTERS/John Sibley

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain was bracing for temperatures to hit 40C for the first time on Tuesday after it recorded its warmest night on record, forcing train services to stop, some schools to close and zoos to feed animals with large ice lollies.

Britain, which can struggle to maintain key transport services in extreme heat or the snow, has been put on a state of "national emergency" alert as temperatures look set to surpass the previous record of 38.7C recorded in 2019.