Storms hit West Country as schools close early amid rare Met Office red weather warnings

Summary

The Met Office has issued a red weather warning for extreme heat on Wednesday and Thursday
An amber warning is in place for for Monday and Tuesday
There have been 800 lightning strikes in the West on Monday afternoon
Most of England and Wales is expected to hit more than 30C this week
The UK's health agency has also issued a red heat alert across the West
Some schools have closed early to protect children from the heat
Waste crews are also starting their collections early in some places in a bid to beat the heat
You can see our tips on how to stay cool here

Edited by Briana Millett, reporting by Bea Swallow

Welcome to our coveragepublished at 10:59 BST 22 June

Good morning, and welcome to our live coverage as the West of England braces for an exceptional heatwave, with temperatures forecasted to reach as high as 39C over the next four days.
The Met Office has issued a two-day amber warning for extreme heat for today and tomorrow, now followed by a two-day red warning for Wednesday and Thursday, which experts say "will likely lead to widespread impacts on people and infrastructure".
Stay tuned throughout the day as we bring you the latest forecasts, travel updates and advice on staying safe in the heat.