Fire service declares 'major incident' on Melton's hottest day

Leicestershire Fire Service on a call-out today to a grass fire in record temperatures for the county

It is officially the hottest day on record in Melton Mowbray with the temperature topping 40 degrees for the first time.

Matthew O’Callaghan, who organises the town’s food festivals, was amazed to see the reading on his thermometer at home.

He said: “It’s 40.3 in Asfordby Road this afternoon.

“It’s officially Melting Mowbray!”

Matthew O'Callaghan shows off the thermometer reading at his Asfordby Road home this afternoon

Meanwhile the local fire service has declared a ‘major incident’ across Leicestershire and Rutland due to the high number of call-outs crews are responding to.

A spokesperson for Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said: “We will not be attending automatic fire alarms at the moment.

"Please only call us if it’s an emergency.”

And the fire service also warned: “Please do not be tempted to enter open water venues to cool off as the water temperature will still be dangerously cold and threatening to life.”

Have you recorded a hotter temperature in the Melton borough today?

Email [email protected] and send family photos of how you are keeping cool in this heatwave.