Thousands watch summer solstice sunrise at Stonehenge - on the hottest day of year

Thousands of people gathered at Stonehenge to watch the summer solstice sunrise, marking the year's longest day - on what is now the hottest day of the year.

Temperatures in Charlwood, Surrey, hit 33.2C at lunchtime on Saturday, beating the 32.2C reached in parts of eastern England on Thursday.

Overnight, those gathering at Stonehenge had a warm start, with temperatures in Salisbury and Greater London reaching 18C by 5am, according to the Met Office.

The Met Office confirmed "many places" in England and "one or two areas" in Wales, including Cardiff, entered a heatwave on Friday.

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The forecaster confirmed the highest overnight temperatures were recorded in Yeovilton, in Somerset, and Crosby, in Merseyside, both reaching 19.7C by 6am on Saturday, with towns in Cumbria and Lancashire recording temperatures above 19C.

An amber heat-health alert is in place for all regions in England over the weekend.

Solstice events at Stonehenge are some of the rare occasions when visitors are allowed to get close to the stones at the World Heritage site, which was built to align with the sun on the solstices.

Solstices are believed to have been celebrated at Stonehenge for thousands of years.

The summer solstice sees the sun rise behind the Heel Stone, the ancient entrance to the Stone Circle, with rays of sunlight being channelled into the centre of the monument.

It takes place as one of the Earth's poles reaches its maximum tilt towards the sun as it reaches its highest position in the sky, giving the longest period of daylight for the year and signifying the end of spring.

Read more: How to stay cool in the heat

It comes as scattered thunderstorms are set to hit the UK amid continued high temperatures on Saturday, with 34C possible in some areas.

The yellow weather warning for thunderstorms covers all of northern England, from Nottingham to up above Newcastle, and will come into force from 3pm and last until 4am on Sunday.

The Met Office warned the most intense storms could produce "frequent lightning, large hail and gusty winds, as well as a chance of flooding".

There will also be very high UV and pollen levels across the country, the Met Office said.

(c) Sky News 2025: Thousands watch summer solstice sunrise at Stonehenge - on the hottest day of year