More than 2,700 people died in England and Wales during two intense heatwaves in May and June, according to a new study by researchers from Imperial College London, the Met Office and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

The study, reported by AFP and published by Channels Television, estimated that at least 550 people died during the heatwave between May 21 and 29, while nearly 2,200 deaths were linked to the second heatwave between June 18 and 28.

Researchers combined weather data, climate models and previous studies on excess mortality during extreme heat to produce the estimates.

England experienced record-breaking temperatures during the two heatwaves, with monthly highs of 35.1°C in May and 37.7°C in June. Scientists said the events were exceptional because they arrived unusually early in the year.

Mark McCarthy, science manager of the Met Office’s climate attribution team, described the heatwaves as extreme for the UK and western Europe, noting that their timing made them particularly unusual.

The UK Health Security Agency is expected to release its official estimate of heat-related deaths in the coming weeks based on death registration data.

Lea Berrang Ford, head of the UK Health Security Agency’s Centre for Climate and Health Security, said the findings highlighted the growing health risks posed by extreme heat and climate change.

The researchers also concluded that climate change made the heatwaves significantly more severe, estimating that maximum daytime temperatures were between 3°C and 4°C higher than they would have been without global warming.

The UK’s Climate Change Committee previously warned that the country was not adequately prepared for the impacts of climate change. In a report released in May, the committee projected that 92 per cent of British homes could become dangerously hot by 2050.

The committee recommended introducing maximum workplace temperature limits and increasing investment in cooling systems for public buildings, including hospitals and schools.