AS THE temperatures soared during Britain’s longest heatwave for seven years, so did sales of fans at high street retailers in York.

Desperate to stay cool in the 30-degree heat, the city’s residents flocked to hardware stores to buy electric fans. The items became few and far between, though, as retailers sold out across the city.

York department store Barnitts, in Colliergate, quickly sold out of their fans during the two-week heatwave.

Managing director Paul Thompson said: “We sold more than 500 fans and had sold out after about nine days. We even had some left from about two years ago and we sold those as well.”

The store has also seen a boost in the sale of garden furniture thanks to the warmer weather.

Mr Thompson said: “When the weather is this good people don’t want to be shopping, they want to make the most of it. Our garden furniture has been selling really well as well.”

Other high-street retailers in York have also had success with their sales. Steve Crooks, store manager of Argos, in Piccadilly, said: “Our sales have been quite high.

“We sold out of fans in store after about five days and then people were coming in to store to order them online as well.

“We probably sold about 200 in four days.” Over the weekend, B&Q’s website stated that the 14 different fans they sell were all out of stock.

However, it seems as though the heatwave is officially coming to an end, with forecasters predicting thunderstorms with plenty of lightning and heavy showers for later this week.

Chris Burton, a forecaster from MeteoGroup, told The Press: “Over the coming days there will be an increased risk of thunderstorms and heavy showers with quite a lot of lightning.” It is not all doom and gloom for the city though according to Mr Burton, who said: “There will be spells of sunshine between showers and temperatures will remain in the mid 20s.”