The sun reared its head in Fermanagh this week as temperatures soared and topped the 2022 record for Northern Ireland.

Fermanagh set the North's Met Office record for this year so far, as a temperature of 31.2C was recorded in the village of Derrylin on Monday.

The Northern Ireland-wide temperature record was set in July last year in Castlederg, Co. Tyrone, where temperatures hit 31.3C.

Many Fermanagh people enjoyed the sunshine and took in all of the beautiful attractions our county has to offer, with several readers sending in photos for publication.

In addition to people making the most of nearby waters to cool off, many Fermanagh folk flocked to popular nearby seaside resorts such as Bundoran and Rossnowlagh, while others took to the North Coast to soak up the sun.

Monday's scorching weather was followed by much more average temperatures, as temperatures dropped sharply and largely overcast skies returned to much of the country in following days.

The change to cooler weather locally was not echoed across much of the rest of the UK, with temperatures topping 40C for the first time ever.

The sweltering heat brought disaster to London, where several fires raged, homes were destroyed and widespread transport disruption was caused.

A major incident was declared in London in response to a surge in fires across the capital, with London's Mayor, Sadiq Khan, saying that Tuesday was the busiest day for London Fire Brigade since the Second World War.

A new record for the hottest day ever recorded in the UK – 40.3C – was provisionally recorded in Coningsby, in Lincolnshire, with media reports claiming that London was hotter than the Sahara Desert.

Closer to home, and the neighbouring Republic recorded its highest temperature since 1831, with a peak temperature of 33.1C recorded in the Phoenix Park in Dublin on Monday.

The hot weather saw pressure continuing for medical staff at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) at the start of the week, with the Western Health and Social Care Trust (Western Trust) releasing a statement on Monday morning saying that the SWAH was facing challenges.

The statement said: "Our Emergency Department at the SWAH is facing challenges this morning due to staffing pressures and the number of patients currently awaiting admission. 27 very sick people are awaiting admission to the hospital for further treatment."

The Western Trust urged anyone with "an urgent but non-emergency medical situation" to attend Omagh Hospital.

The statement concluded: "We are reminding parents and children of all ages to play safe during the hot weather to avoid preventable attendances to our Emergency Departments."

The Trust have issued further summer guidance for families (see story below) to follow to stay safe in any summer sun.