The UK is to bask in another heatwave this week and parts of East Lancashire are set to be hotter than Portugal.

Temperatures over the coming days will remain lower than last month’s scorching 43°C but the warmth will continue over a “prolonged period”, the Met Office has said.

In parts of East Lancashire, temperatures are predicted to reach highs of 27°C and will be hotter than Portugal at times.

On Wednesday, East Lancashire is set to be two degrees warmer than Faro in Portugal.

Across the eastern part of the region, clear skies and sunny spells are in the forecast all week.

The best weather is predicted between Thursday and Saturday where temperatures are currently meant to peak at 27°C across most parts of the region.

Here is a day-by-day forecast for Blackburn with Darwen:

Monday August 8: Cloudy changing to sunny intervals by lunchtime. Highs of 21°C and lows of 12°C.

Tuesday August 9: Sunny. Highs of 22°C and lows of 12°C.

Wednesday August 10: Sunny. Highs of 25°C and lows of 13°C.

Thursday August 11: Sunny. Highs of 27°C and lows of 14°C.

Friday August 12: Sunny. Highs of 27°C and lows of 15°C.

Saturday August 13: Sunny. Highs of 27°C and lows of 15°C.

Sunday August 14: Sunny intervals changing to partly cloudy by night. Highs of 26°C and lows of 15°C.

The Met Office has urged people to follow precautions to avoid becoming overheated, including closing curtains and windows during the day and avoiding the midday sun.

It comes after the Environment Secretary urged more water companies to impose hosepipe bans during an unusually dry August.

George Eustice said some firms have already “rightly” taken action to mitigate the effects of the prolonged dry weather as he encouraged others to follow suit.

His remarks, the first public intervention by ministers, signal possible restrictions on watering gardens, washing cars or filling pools with hosepipes for millions more people across southern England in the coming days.