A stretch of southern-eastern Europe from Italy to Greece is in the grip of a heatwave.

As temperatures top 40C people have been flocking to the beaches, like this at Varna, Bulgaria.

But in the cities keeping cool is a much harder job. The haze on this street in Rome is testament to the heat.

This woman in Tirana, Albania, has resorted to the old technique of carrying a parasol.

But as this girl in Sofia knows, nothing beats cooling off in a fountain.

Or perhaps in a pool, as this boy is doing in Thessaloniki, Greece.

Or perhaps in an irrigation canal, like these teenagers in Sofia.

For the more mature in years, the gentility of a stream is preferred. These people are enjoying a dip in Banja Vrujci, Serbia.

But let's not forget that animals get hot too. This dog in the Romanian capital Bucharest is getting a helping hand from his owner.