Western Europe is sweltering in the first big heatwave of the summer, with several days of +30 degree temperatures or more in many places, while in some areas the end cannot be predicted.

Temperatures of +40 have been the norm in Spain for days, but Portugal, France, Belgium, Britain, the Netherlands, Switzerland and northern Italy are also in for a scorcher.

Denmark and the whole of Scandinavia are also going to feel the heat, although a little less so.

For Rome it is nothing exceptional, even if at this time of year it is normally several degrees cooler. Italian ice cream sellers are rubbing their hands together.

However this flaming June is proving too hot to handle even for the Spanish, where temperatures have hit the over 40s this week, making electicity consumption spike as air conditioners work overtime.

“It’s very bad here in Seville, in this heat and without air conditioning you cannot sleep. It’s impossible,” said one woman.

In 2003 a similar heatwave, although la