Footage of locals and tourists sizzling in extreme temperatures in Salamanca, Spain today (Thursday, June 16) as a heatwave grips the country.

Graham Keely, The Times' Spain correspondent, relayed fears that 50C could be recorded this summer - breaking the current highest temperature record by 2.5C. He told Newstalk: "Temperatures have already reached the early 40s in parts of southern Spain. "What is alarming is that the forecasters here are saying we could see temperatures rising as high as 50C.”

Several forest fires have broken out in the country. Spain's meteorological agency has confirmed it's the earliest such heatwave since 1981 and are warning residents and visitors it could carry on until the weekend. It has issued orange weather warnings for a large stretch of the south and west of the country.