Britain gets through its hottest July day ever Europe swelters; officials enact plans fearing repeat of deadly ’03 summer Christopher Pledger / AP A dog cools off Wednesday in Dorney Lake, Eton, England. In Britain, by mid-afternoon, the temperature at Charlwood, near London's Gatwick Airport, hit 97 degrees, the hottest temperature ever recorded in Britain in July.  

LONDON - Lions licked blood-flavored ice blocks in the zoo, judges went wigless in court and guards at Buckingham Palace ducked into the shade.

Britain faced the hottest day ever recorded in July on Wednesday as a heat wave swept much of Europe. Temperatures hit 96.6 degrees south of London — so hot some road surfaces melted.

Two people died in Spain as temperatures climbed above 104 degrees, while officials in France said as many as nine people who died recently were believed to be victims of the heat.

-- Edited by Ruby at 18:21, 2006-07-19