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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Ewan Gleadow & Alice Peacock

Binmen refuse to collect rubbish in 33C heat as heatwave disrupts services around the UK

Binmen over the UK are claiming the sweltering heat means it’s too hot to collect household rubbish.

The scorching 33C heatwave that has seen temperatures rise to 33C in recent days has prompted complaints from bin men, with the refusal of some to collect garbage sparking fear that sanitisation services are being put on hold.

Essential services have been hit by the Met Office's "danger to life" amber warning, given out due to the sweltering heat the UK is likely to face over the next week.

Unbelievable heat has left the UK with buckled train tracks and fears for the lives of hundreds.

Safety measures are set to be in place on train tracks and other essential services will be affected by a number of rulings and warning set out by the Met Office.

South Oxfordshire and South London are two places where rubbish collection had reportedly been delayed (Getty Images)

The Daily Star reported that specialist weather teams have been monitoring key hotspots where mercury continues to rise, with drivers urged to keep a bottle of water in their cars.

RAC Breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis has stated that if mercury hits as high as 40C then motorists should "question their decision to drive in the first place".

In some parts of the country bin men are even having to leave their routes early after the heat proved far too much for work.

South Oxfordshire District Council has informed its residents to leave rubbish out up to two days after their originally scheduled collection if they are not emptied.

South London has also been cited as a place where rubbish collection delays could be seen, with forecasters predicting a rise in heat and mercury over the next week.

Rubbish truck drivers are being urged to keep a bottle of water in their cars (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The existing record of 38.7C, set in 2019, could be shattered by this week's weather in some parts of the country.

Thankfully forecasters are also predicting that by next week a flurry of thunderstorms will put rest to the heatwave, bringing a temperature drop.

Today, tomorrow and Friday are likely to bring some rain in the north of the UK and highs of 27C or 28C - slightly cooler than yesterday which saw 31C in parts of south-east England.

But the mercury is expected to soar again into the mid 30s through the weekend before peaking on Tuesday, July 19, and climbing to 37C in London, according to the BBC.

Forecasters believe there is a 30% chance the mercury could surpass the current UK record of 38.7C, set in Cambridge in 2019, as the Met Office predicts temperatures "in excess of 35C" in the southeast.

Forecaster Matthew Box said: "As we get into Sunday it looks like we could see temperatures rise into the high 20s and into the low 30s as well but potentially a few spots getting 34C or 35C by Sunday and probably the same again on Monday.

"We could see by Monday temperatures getting towards the mid or high 30s and there's about a 30% chance we could see the UK record broken, most likely on Monday at the moment."

He added: "It's looking like things are going to become hot or very hot as we go through the weekend and into next week."

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