Next week temperatures are expected to reach the mid-80s at the highest.There has already been heavy rain in south-west Scotland and the Western Isles, where temperatures only 15C (59F). Northern Ireland had light rain.The hot weather prompted safety warnings about cooling off in lakes, rivers and reservoirs.Photograph: Brian Harris. The London Weather Centre reported that Jersey had the highest UK reading, with 33C (91.4F) - 0.1C higher than Gravesend, Kent, on June 7, the previous highest reading. The warmest place on the mainland was Cranwell, Lincs, with 32.6C, and there were many readings of 32C (90F).Sizzling England was one of the world's hot spots - warmer than Bermuda's 81F, Corfu's 82F, and 77F at Nice in the south of France.The highest July temperature ever recorded in Britain was 36C (97F) in 1911.By tonight cooler weather had begun to arrive from Scotland and the Continent, likely to lead to thunderstorms in the next day or so and an end to the hot spell. A van driver was spotted soaking up the sun on the roof of his cab in a lay-by near Newport, Essex, yesterday, when temperatures soared into the 90s giving many parts of England their hottest day so far this year. The Register of Chinese Herbal Medicines advises that in some cases the commonly prescribed remedies listed above may be unsuitable, and that herbal remedies should only be used after consultation with an accredited herbalist.. "Warming" and "drying" - prolonged overuse can lead to lethargy.Note: Herbs are almost always prescribed in combination.

Not to be used if patient has indigestion.Yi Zhi Ren (black cardamom) - diarrhoea.Sha Ren (common cardamom) - morning sickness, indigestion.Yi Yi Ren (Chinese barley) - cellulite; sluggish lymphatic system; carbuncles.Ren Shen (Ginseng - "man root") - general tonic; especially digestive and lung disorders. Also classified as "warm".Ching Pi (newly-dried peel of mandarin orange) - abdominal pain.Chen Pi (matured dried peel of mandarin) - abdominal distension, irritable bowel, phlegm on the chest Known as "warming" and "drying". Not to be used for dry cough or fever.Gou Qui Za (bright red berries) - failing eyesight, dryness of the eye. Classified as "warm" - do not use in cases of fever.Dang Gui (angelica root) - period pains; poor circulation. The herbs most commonly used in Chinese medicine: Bo He (Chinese mint) - cold and sore throat or sore eyes. Sheng Jiang (common ginger) - nausea, indigestion. "An experienced practitioner would not prescribe anything without taking a full history."Mr Lloyd is also spearheading a campaign to persuade importers to introduce quality control tests on herbs they sell on to practitioners.. In fact, many of the most powerful drugs prescribed by doctors originate from plants, such as the heart drug digoxin which comes from foxgloves.Ken Lloyd, president of the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine, said there are 120 practitioners on the voluntary register who have satisfied a minimum requirement of training.

This includes two years of training in Western anatomy, physiology, and pathology; three years of diagnosis, and two years of the philosophy and practice of Chinese herbal medicine with a study visit to China or Vietnam if possible.However, the number of practitioners on the register represents only a quarter of the total number of practitioners, some of whom may have had only the most basic of training or even no training at all."People should be warned that if a practitioner spends only five minutes with a patient before selling them something then they are probably not getting the standard of treatment they should," Mr Lloyd said. The demand for gentler alternatives to synthetic drugs is phenomenal but the fact that a remedy is derived from herbs does not mean it is safer. Imported, pre-packaged Chinese medicines have also been found to contain traces of conventional drugs, such as steroids, but there is no indication of this on the label.Every major town and city in Britain now has at least one TCM clinic, surgery or shop. Side-effects due to toxic ingredients or contaminants in Chinese remedies, which prompted the investigation by the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Poisons Unit, are not uncommon.In addition, the raw herbs may have been exposed to pesticides, heavy metals and other contaminants.