UK weather: Met Office prepares to issue 'level three' heatwave warning for health workers Soaring temperatures could start to hit the health of vulnerable people - with potentially deadly consequences Health workers and social services on alert after level two warning issued by authorities. Level three warning may be issued tomorrow, ordering carers and medical staff to take urgent action An elderly woman spent all yesterday in the glare of the sun after she was trapped in a collapsed deckchair Hedgehogs have also suffered in the heat, as hedgehog hospital see spike in admissions Britain's medical workers and carers are on alert because of rising fears over the health of the nation in sweltering conditons as the Met Office today said a 'level three heatwave' looms. The nation has already been issued with a level two warning, where staff are told to be vigilant as the heatwave could start to affect vulnerable people's health, but the weather authority confirmed that a level three warning was 'extremely likely' tomorrow. The warning system is overseen by Public Health England, a Department of Health agency, in a bid to reduce the health impact of the current run of stifling temperatures continue across the UK. Relaxing: Visitors to London's Hyde Park sit in deckchairs but a Heatwave Warning is set to be issued by the Met Office Living up to their name: Beachgoers lean up against the Hot Walls in Old Portsmouth, Hampshire Flat out: A man relaxes in the hot weather in Victoria Tower Gardens in central London Party: Youngsters laugh as they sunbathe in Old Portsmouth, Hampshire, earlier today Cooling off: A man and woman look down at a waterfall in Hyde Park, left, while Summer Passmore, two, from Clerkenwell, London, cools off in the pavement fountains at the Royal Academy court yard in central London Laughter flows: Luella Facer (left) and her friend Summer Passmore, both two and from Clerkenwell, London, cool off in the pavement fountains at the Royal Academy in central London Heatwave: Members of the Serpentine Swimmers Club enjoy the scorching weather early this morning, but the blazing sun presents a serious risk to health, said health authorities The nation is already on a level 2 warning, where staff are told to be vigilant as the heatwave could start to affect vulnerable people's health. A level two warning is triggered as soon as the Met Office forecasts that there is a 60 per cent chance of temperatures being high enough on at least two consecutive days to have significant effects on health. This will normally occur two to three days before the event is expected. Death rates rise soon after temperatures soar, with many deaths occurring in the first two days. Level three is triggered as soon as the Met Office confirms that threshold temperatures have been reached in any one region or more. These vary from region to region, but the average threshold temperature is 30ºC during the day and 15ºC overnight. At this stage specific action is targeted at high-risk groups to reduce casualties. 'Unbelievably stupid': Two fathers were condemned yesterday for pushing children in buggies across a dangerous waterfall - instead of using a bridge right above them. The foolish fathers risked the toddlers lives as they wheeled the pushchairs across the slippery waterfall on the River Taff in Cardiff A Met Office graphic showing what temperatures will feel like tomorrow. Summer Passmore (right), 2 , squeals in delight as a fountain drenches her The dangers of extreme heat cannot be underestimated. A summer heatwave in 2003 caused 15,000 'excess deaths' in France, so many that morgues ran out of space. That same summer Britain recorded 2,000 excess deaths following a 10‑day heatwave. A stark reminder of the risk the heat poses occured on Saturday, when two Territorial Army soldiers died during a gruelling selection process for the TA's elite SAS section on the rugged Brecon Beacons. Under a level three warning carers are urged to check on vulnerable people and health staff are told to help and advise clients including access to cool rooms, close monitoring of vulnerable individuals, reducing room temperatures with shading, turning off unnecessary lights and equipment and ensuring discharge planning takes the extreme temperatures into account. Heat seekers: As temperatures in London soared, many headed to Richmond Upon Thames, such as this woman enjoying a quiet read Ellie Sole (in pink), 19 and Sophia Good, 21, frolic in the sea on Southsea Beach in Hampshire The two friends take a dive into the sea in an effort to cool off as temperatures across the UK show no signs of dropping Floating away: Swimmers cool down in the Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park Capital fun: Londoners flocked to open-air pools, lidos, 'wild swimming' spots and paddling pools in a bid to escape the ferocious heat The Serpentine Swimmers Club members take a break from swimming in central London today A level 3 warning is expected to be issued tomorrow, urging medical and social services staff to take extra precautions to protect the health of their charges Brisk: A man enters the Serpentine in Hyde Park. Britons have flocked to pools, lakes and beaches across the nation to escape the oppressive heat The Hanging Gardens of Derby: Fred Whaley, 69, is on extra watering duties to keep more than one thousand plants in full bloom at his home in the heatwave Chillaxing: Ulu the Lar Gibbon enjoys in the sun at Drusillas Park, an East Sussex zoo Ra-cool: A racoon enjoys a giant ice lolly thanks to zoo staff at Drusillas Park Sun-worshipper: Lemurs (left) relaxing in the heat at the East Sussex zoo today. Georgina the baby hippopotamus with her mother Flora at Whipsnade Zoo (right) Spa treatment: Georgina the baby hippopotamus cools off with a dip at Whipsnade Zoo Beached: Four grey seals bask in the hot weather on a sand bank at Southend-on-Sea in Essex Any shade will do: Beulagh speckled faced ewes seek any refuge that they can find from the sun in the Cambrian Mountains, Powys A level four warning is classified as a major incident where the stifling temperatures continue for so long it could even affect infrastructure, such as transport and power. Last Saturday saw the hottest day of the year so far with a peak of 31.9C (89.4F) in Southampton, making it the hottest July day since 2006. Dust: It may look like the shore of a river in baking hot Nevada, U.S, but it is actually Swinsty Reservoir in North Yorkshire Wilting: This picture shows a dried-out log and parched grass at Lindley Wood Reservoir in North Yorkshire Baking hot: Dried out flotsam (left) at Swinsty Reservoir in North Yorkshire. The sweltering heat didn't stop these two people (right) enjoying a picnic there though The Heatwave Plan is an important component of overall emergency planning and sets out a series of clear actions that can be taken by healthcare organisations, local authorities, professionals working with vulnerable people, and individuals to help keep people safe during extreme heat. To prepare for any type of hot weather this summer, we strongly encourage each locality to consider the actions in this plan and adapt them to their local situation, as a component of wider resilience planning and long-term climate change adaptation arrangements. Bask: Two women soak up the rays at Swanley Park in Swanley, Kent It may look like the coast of a resort in the Mediterranean, but this two masted sailing boat was pictured leaving Falmouth Harbour in Cornwall today Even as late as 7pm tomorrow, the temperatures will hit highs of 30C in the UK. A man (right) enjoys an early morning fishing session today Sailing away: Pleasure boats at Studland Bay, Dorset, today Dive: Two young men take a plunge into the water on Southsea Beach in Hampshire Splashdown: The men hit the surface in an explosion of water A pair of fathers were condemned yesterday for pushing children in buggies across a dangerous waterfall - instead of using a bridge right above them. The foolish fathers risked the toddlers' lives as they wheeled the pushchairs across the slippery waterfall above churning white water. Wearing shorts and one bare-chested, the dads tried to cool down by pushing their toddlers in buggies through the River Taff. And they were watched by eye-witnesses standing safely above them on a bridge over the river in Cardiff. Passer-by Tom Leyshon, 36, who was playing football with his two children next to the river, said: 'It was crazy - these guys are unbelievably stupid.' He added: 'I was having a kickabout with my boys when I saw these two men march their pushchairs over the weir. 'They were both carrying toddlers - you couldn't be more reckless with your child's life if you tried. The bridge was right above them. If anything was to happen to their children how would they live with themselves. The waters might look low at the moment but you never know what is there - and it is very slippery. People enjoy the glorious summer sunshine in beautiful Cambridge today, as they punt down the River Cam under the famous Bridge of Sighs Visitors from all over the UK flock to Cambridge in the hot weather, keen to enjoy the sights of the beautiful city in the sun Messing about in boats: A man punts along as diners watch the river traffic as they enjoy lunch by the River Cam Gridlock: The people who took to the river had to be careful to avoid other boats on the busy waterway Although most are enjoying Britain's best summer in years, the heat can have devastating health effects if precautions are not taken - even for healthy people As the world goes by: A man relaxes in a park in Cambridge as people go about their business Sea of purple: Sun-lover Sally Young in a field of vibrant delphiniums in Wick, Worcestershire Contrast: The flower petals will be harvested over the next few weeks, then dried so they can be thrown at weddings Symphony of colour: The flowers have to be picked at exactly the right time, usually in the late afternoon when the dew has dried Corridors of flower: Anya Harris, 2, is towered over by the delphiniums. Farmer Charles Hudson started the Real Flower Petal Confetti Company after finding some soggy paper confetti lying on the grass outside his local church One positive side effect of the weather is the effect it has had on the nation's flowers. Stunning rainbow-coloured fields of confetti have burst into full bloom on a farm in Wick in the Worcestershire countryside. The beautiful pink, blue and purple delphiniums, cornflowers and stocks will now be picked to create natural confetti. The flower petals will be harvested over the next few weeks, then dried so they can be thrown at weddings instead of messy paper confetti, which is often banned in churches. Farmer Charles Hudson started the Real Flower Petal Confetti Company after finding some soggy paper confetti lying on the grass outside his local church. When he arrived home some petals fell off the bouquet of flowers he was carrying for his wife and he came up with the unusual idea. 'I ran out to the farm with the flowers and told them this was going to be our new crop,' said Charles, who had been growing cereals. Everyone thought I had gone mad, but the idea worked and we now have a 12 acre field. His flowers have now been thrown at the weddings of celebrities like Madonna and Catherine Zeta Jones and this year at that of Olympic athlete Jennifer Ennis. He said Prince William and Prince Harry were even spotted throwing the confetti at a friend's wedding in Switzerland. People love it because it is a green, organic product and so beautiful it really sells itself," he said. We try to second guess what will be the most popular colour each year. Last year purple was top and this year's it's the cornflower blue.' The petals cost £11 a pint and the company sells around 15,000 pints a year. Hot spot: Chiara Silva, 16, from London enjoys the view and the hot weather at Whipsnade Zoo Scenic: Teenager Chiara Silva captures the panoramic views at Whipsnade Jumping for joy: Tilly Lucket, 2, from Northampton runs up a hillside at Whipsnade Zoo Baby hedgehogs at Shepreth Hedgehog Hospital are experiencing a difficult start to their lives as a result of sun stroke and dehydration. Jeanette Richards (left), a keeper and a trustee of the hospital, nurses one of her tiny charges back to health Spike in illnesses: One of the reasons behind the rise in cases is that baby hedgehogs will venture out of the nest in search of food if their mother dies Meanwhile, a hedgehog hospital is running out of beds after admitting hundreds of ill babies suffering from sunstroke. The tiny hedgehogs are being brought in by concerned gardeners suffering from heat exhaustion, dehydration and infested with maggots. Shepreth Wildlife Park in Royston, Hertfordshire is taking in around 20 youngsters every day - some as small as a 50 pence piece and weighing just 20 grams. Curator Rebecca Wilers said: 'If their mother gets killed in a road accident after a day or two the baby hedgehogs will venture out of the nest in search of food We are commonly finding babies out on lawns in the midday heat. They are then susceptible to maggots and flies as well as heat exhaustion and dehydration. The huge demand is draining the hospital's £1,500 monthly running costs and organisers are appealing for donations. Londoners enjoy the hot weather in Hyde Park, which has been reported to hit 30C again today And relax: A woman sunbathes on the Southbank near the Tate Modern art gallery Cooling off: Two women take to the Serpentine in London's Hyde Park Pedalos proved popular with visitors to London's Hyde Park today Shade: Visitors to the Southbank near the Tate Modern art gallery in central London take respite from the fierce sun as St Paul's Cathedral looms in the distance Relaxing in the sun: A woman reads as a man enjoys a snooze on deckchairs in Hyde Park. Temperatures in central London could hit 32C tomorrow Break: A man take a drink of water in the shade next to the Serpentine lake in Hyde Park Sun and shadow: A couple seek solace in the shade in Hyde Park, central London Well-earned break: A deck chair attendant takes a rest from his duties to escape the punishing sun Accident: The woman fell through the fabric and became trapped in the frame of the deckchair A sunbather was rescued by firefighters after she was trapped for an entire day - in a deckchair. The woman was sitting in her garden enjoying the hot weather when the fabric of the seat suddenly gave way and her bottom became stuck in the frame. She was unable to wriggle free or reach a phone to call for help and spent most of Monday - one of the hottest days of the year - marooned in the broken chair in her garden in in Polruan, Cornwall. The lady was only rescued when a neighbour came by to water her plants at 9pm - and raised the alarm. Firefighters arrived at the property and managed to wrench the woman, in her 80s, free. She was dehydrated and sunburnt but otherwise escaped with minor injuries. Polruan fire station manager Peter Ripley said: "We don't actually know how long she was there for but it was quite a long time. It was one of those metal deck chairs with a canvas seat. The canvas had broken and she slipped right down in the seat and couldn't move. 'It wasn't until her neighbour came to water the garden that she was discovered.' Mr Ripley said paramedics were called and the woman was taken to hospital for a check-up. He added: 'She hurt her right leg, as her legs had been over the bar. She was in the sun all of the time too so she was dehydrated and quite brown. 'We don't get a lot of these type of incidents but people who haven't used their deck chairs for a while should be careful and check them before use, especially the elderly.'