Workers jumping in fountains, tube windows smashed: how the Guardian reported the 1976 UK heatwave

The 1976 UK heatwave, which saw temperatures soar to 91F (32.2C) in London, caused widespread chaos and health issues, with over 40 people fainting in Leeds alone. In the capital, office workers took to cooling off in Trafalgar Square's fountains, while others smashed tube windows in a desperate bid to escape the intense heat. This extreme weather underscores the vulnerability of the time to such climatic extremes, reflecting on the historical context of heatwave preparedness and its implications for modern climate resilience.