The heart of Birmingham was swinging to the samba beat as it enjoyed a dose of Latin fever yesterday.

Victoria Square was transformed into a carnival scene for the 14th Latin American Festival featuring Brazilian samba bands, salsa, a Caribbean steel band plus dancing, music and typical Latin handicrafts.

While the festival may have been hot, hot, hot, the heatwave which has gripped the country led to a Government health warning yesterday as temperatures continued to soar.

The Midlands and the South-east basked in temperatures of about 10 degrees Centigrade above the average for the time of year, with the thermometer mercury hovering between 30C (86F) and 32C (89F).

PA WeatherCentre forecaster Paul Mott said there would be no let-up in the high temperatures over the next few days with thermometers likely to reach 33C by tomorrow.

In the face of forecasts of very hot weather, the Department of Health is advising people to take steps to prevent the adverse effects of hot weather such as dehydration.

The combination of the hot weather and England's World Cup quarter-finals heartbreak against Portugal saw shops emptying as people enjoyed barbecues or remained glued to their televisions.

With the hot weather set to continue, some organisations were offering novel and light-hearted advice on coping with the heat.

The Beard Liberation Front recommended trimming beards, covering them with a handkerchief to avoid exposure and keeping facial hair cool by "placing it briefly in the freezer department of a fridge or dipping it in a pint of real ale".