Norfolk melts as the heatwave continues

Hospitality firms are closing and events are being altered or cancelled on what is forecast to be one of the hottest days of the year.

The Met Office is forecasting temperatures of 36C (96F) in parts of Norfolk, as the UK heatwave continues.

A number of schools have shut due to "excessive heat", with an updated list on Norfolk County Council's website.

How is the hot weather affecting businesses, events and communities in the county?

Friday is Residents Day at Great Yarmouth racecourse, and horse racing fixtures will still go ahead - just earlier than planned.

The races will now begin at 10:30 BST, with the last race starting at 13:30 instead of 17:25.

A spokesperson for Arena Racing Company, which owns the racecourse, said: "The fixture will be operated in line with the British Horseracing Authority's Hot Weather Policy, with race times altered to earlier in the day.

"Obviously the welfare of horses and participants is the primary focus."

Arena said the team would use various measures such as offering extra water and staff being on hand to cool horses after the race.

Kitchen workers may be used to dealing with high temperatures, but for some businesses in Norwich the sweltering heat is getting too much.

A number of market stalls and cafés in the city are considering shortening hours or closing completely on Friday.

JC Pinto, a café specialising in brunch in St John Maddermarket, is one of the firms that has taken the decision to shut for the day.

Corrie Cadwallader, co-director and head chef, said: "It is pretty brutal at the minute. We're trying our hardest to keep cool but there are certain circumstances where we can't get away from it."

Jamal Utting, co-director and front-of-house manager, added: "We're prepared for most things, but this extreme level of heat is a bridge too far."

Changes to staff uniform to cope with the heat are among the decisions the company is making to manage rising summer temperatures.

On the market, traders are weighing up their options, with some considering changing their hours.

Barclay Gray, owner of Lucy's Chips, said they may be closing early.

"If it is really hot, the market will probably be quieter anyway," he said.

"We have been drinking plenty of fluids and try and keep ourselves cool with fans."

Emily White works at the Ice Cream Parlour on Gaol Hill at the market, and said that despite selling ice creams, it was not cool behind the counter.

"The whippy machine gets really hot so we have had a fan on to stop it from going into overdrive," she said.

"If the heat is unmanageable by midday, we may call it a day."

However, Alan Zhang, who runs Taste of Shanghai with his wife Lisa Wang, is not phased by the rising temperatures.

He said: "We are not worried, how many hot days the whole year round do you have?"

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