While sweaty commuters may be grumbling about the lack of air-con on the Central Line and antsy children are being sent home because of the 'red heat' warning, spare a thought for England's furrier friends.

Instead of taking multiple cold showers a day like those with opposable thumbs, sweltering animals are being sprayed down by fervent zookeepers with hoses to keep their creatures cool in the blistering 'heat dome'.

Other inventive methods to bring the animals' body temperatures down in the near 40C heat came in the form of adapted ice lollies.

While animals cannot eat the same ice cream as humans can, they have special versions stacked with foods like seeds, fresh herbs, and even herbal teas. 

Tapirs and gibbons alike were snapped sweetly licking away at their special frozen treats at Noah's Ark Zoo Farm, while towering elephants enjoyed a well-needed hose down.

Otters, capybaras and Aqua the rescue tiger also spent the day splashing around in their pools to try to beat the heat at the North Somerset Zoo and conservation charity.

The Zoo's African elephants and Southern white rhinos also have access to mud wallows, which help them regulate their body temperature during warm weather. 

Chris Wilkinson, Curator at Noah's Ark Zoo Farm, said: 'Just like us during periods of hot weather, it's important that our animals stay cool for their welfare, comfort and safety. 

'Our animal keepers carefully monitor all species during warm conditions and provide a variety of cooling opportunities, including ice lollies and hose-downs, alongside access to pools and shaded areas.'

The UK Health Security Agency has issued a red Heat Health Alert covering London, the South East, South West, East of England, East Midlands and West Midlands from 1am on Wednesday until 11pm on Thursday.

The alert warns there is a 'risk to life for even the healthy population' and highlights the potential impact on transport, power supplies, water resources and businesses.

The soaring temperatures have been caused by a brutal 'heat dome' covering Western Europe, driven by a mass of hot air moving north from the Sahara and fuelled by a strong high‑pressure ​system known as the 'African anticyclone'.

Meteorologists say the system is creating a so‑called 'heat dome', trapping hot air and ​allowing temperatures to build day after day.  

As such, June's longstanding UK temperature record of 35.6C, set in Hampshire in 1976, is forecast to be challenged as temperatures climb towards 40C across parts of England and Wales on Wednesday and Thursday. 

The Met Office said temperatures could beat the UK's all-time high of 40.3C which was measured in July 2022, and are expected to beat the June record.