IT HAS been a sweltering day across Gwent today, with temperatures in Wales breaking records.

The Met Office forecast was for "extreme heat" today - with an amber-level weather warning in place for the region for the whole of Monday and Tuesday.

Temperatures were expected to hit 34C in Newport.

According to Gwent Police, there was a rise in alcohol-related incidents over the sunny weekend.

The emergency services have previously advised people to avoid alcohol in this weather.

"It was a busy night for our officers in Gwent, with demand levels nearing what we would normally see on New Year’s Eve," Gwent Police said on Sunday.

"We are seeing an increase in alcohol related crimes this weekend, so we are asking everyone to please drink responsibly while you are enjoying the heatwave."

Despite alcohol flowing at the weekend, Welsh Water is asking customers to be help them keep the water doing the same by being mindful of how much they use.

During the recent spell of warm weather, the company has already seen demand for water soar to near record levels.

This extra demand makes it a challenge to get water through the pipes fast enough and also drains the water from the reservoirs more quickly and rivers that supply the water.

This is especially important as between March and April, rainfall across Wales was only 50 per cent of the long term average while between March and May it was just 60 per cent.

Network Rail and Transport for Wales are also urging customers to limit their use of their services.

The transport firms have asked people to only make essential journeys today and tomorrow as record-breaking temperatures hit the country.

The current forecasted temperatures will see the introduction of speed restrictions on railway lines across the country to sure safe running of trains with journeys to take longer.

With temperatures likely to remain stifling overnight and increase once again tomorrow, measures should be taken to keep cool, hydrated and safe.

For more information on how to deal with the heat, visit metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice