SOME roads have begun to melt, train tracks have reached temperatures of 49C (120.2F) and a hosepipe ban is set to come into force as the UK basks in the ongoing heatwave.

On Thursday, Glasgow recorded its hottest day since records began as another sweltering day saw the temperature peak at 31.9C (89.4F).

The city beat Wednesday’s high of 31.3C (88.3F) in Aviemore in the Highlands, and came close to matching the hottest June day ever recorded in Scotland - 32.2C (89.9F) at Ochtertyre in Perth and Kinross in 1893.

As tens of thousands of music lovers flock to Glasgow for TRNSMT at Glasgow Green and Fiesta x Fold in Kelvingrove Park, revellers are being urged to stock up on sunscreen and water.

Temperatures in the city will dip slightly, but it will still be warm for the week ahead with plenty of sunshine and temperatures around the 25C mark.

The first hosepipe ban is likely to come into place in Northern Ireland this weekend.

Northern Ireland Water said demand is outstripping supply, leaving them with no option but to bring in the ban in order to save water.

Scottish Water said it is managing supplies across the country and will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Only two localised areas in Scotland have been issued with advice to “use water wisely” - parts of Moray and the Stornoway area of Lewis.

Other parts of the UK have urged water consumers to take simple steps to reduce the amount they use.

Top tips include taking a shorter shower, not leaving the taps running and re-using paddling pool water for plants in the garden.

Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said: “We are going to see a continuation of the current warm spell, but the temperatures over the next few days are not likely to be the warmest of the year so far.

“I think, for now, temperatures have peaked and we are not expecting to see any records today.

“We will begin to have a slightly fresher feel, bringing the temperatures down, not by much, by one or two degrees.”

Gritters have been deployed in some areas, spreading crushed rock dust onto melting roads to create a non-stick layer between the surface and vehicles.

Motorists have been advised to use warm soapy water to wash sticky tar from their vehicles.

Some railway tracks have soared to nearly 50C (122F), leading them to expand and bend.

ScotRail customers have seen massive disruption across the Glasgow network for three days now as the railway lines buckle in the hot weather, with many speed restriction in place for train drivers.

The Met Office’s heat-health watch alert has remained at level two all week, meaning social and healthcare services are at the ready to reduce harm from a potential heatwave.

This week is the first time since 2013 all four nations in the UK have seen temperatures of 30C or above, the Met Office said.

The rising temperatures have also come with warnings to be careful near water and in the countryside, where fire crews have been tackling wildfires, including one in Bathgate.

The heat has already claimed casualties.

The family of 13-year-old Ryan Evans, whose body was recovered on Wednesday, two days after he got into difficulty at Westport Lake in Stoke-on-Trent, warned of the dangers of playing and swimming in open water.

They said: “We just cannot emphasise enough the dangers of swimming in open water, especially where young children are concerned.

“Our message is simple: please don't do it.”

A 17-year-old boy was found dead in the River Aire in Leeds in the early hours of Wednesday morning following a search and rescue operation.

It is believed he got into difficulties while swimming on Tuesday evening.

The body of a man was also recovered from a lake in Nutfield, Surrey, on Monday.

The RNLI has urged those heading to the seaside to seek out beaches with a lifeguard.

There is bad news for farmers growing crops and the firefighters and soldiers battling the ongoing incident on Saddleworth Moor in north-west England as no significant rainfall is forecast in the coming days.

Parts of the Moor have been alight for six days, with firefighters saying it could take weeks to extinguish.

A new moorland blaze - on Winter Hill, near Rivington, Lancashire - broke out on Thursday with huge plumes of smoke visible from the area surrounding the moorland.

Firefighters are also still fighting a 500-metre long gorse fire on the Glenshane Pass in County Londonderry, more than 48 hours after it first broke out.

The RSPCA called on pet owners to keep a close eye on their animals in the heat after receiving 625 calls about animals in hot environments between June 11 and 24 - the majority about dogs in hot cars.