SCOTLAND is set for another heatwave this week as the country basks in a pulse of scorching air dubbed the “Mediterranean melt”.

Weather experts have said heat from Africa and the south of Spain will blow north, with temperatures climbing to 27C (80F).

The Met Office said yesterday’s highs, which saw the mercury pushing 28C in north-east Scotland, will be followed by highs rising to 25C or so – almost 10C above average – on Thursday and Friday.

Temperatures of 35C are being forecast for England by the weekend.

Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge said: “Scotland will warm up again during the week, with 25C on Thursday and Friday. These are good temperatures for Scotland – well above average.”

The latest heatwave comes as Scottish Water is being urged to do more to plug leaking pipes across the country after it emerged nearly 500 million litres of water is being lost every day.

Scottish Tories have also called for the publicly owned company to be more open about the scale of its leakage problems. According to the latest figures, 495 million litres escape every 24 hours, equivalent to nearly one third of the daily supply.

Only Thames Water loses more to leaks, at 677m litres a day.

The startling figure has emerged at the same time as Scottish Water stocks are dwindling due to the recent warm, dry weather.

The firm has called for w at er c on s er v at ion through short showers and avoiding hose-pipes, while tankers have been called in to transport supplies to drought-hit areas like Arran and Moray.

The daily leakage adds up to 180.7 billion litres of drinking water lost every year.

The Scottish Tories, who have called for the firm to be mutualised and taken out of public hands, are calling for Scottish Water to be more open about the scale of leakages.

VILLAGERS have found themselves cut off for almost a year after their only road was closed.

The tiny community of Crovie, in Aberdeenshire, is a scattering of houses clinging to a ledge between cliffs and the North Sea that has featured in tourist brochures and on the walls of airports welcoming visitors to the country.

But only those fit enough to tackle the route on foot or scale 84 steps cut into the rock can make it in or out.

Aberdeenshire Council, which shut the road last September because of a risk of landslide, has arranged for emergency vehicles to access the village by a privately-owned track and, in recent weeks, supplied a quad bike and small trailer to ferry some supplies.

However, frustrated residents – who carry their habitats of this area that support numerous rare and threatened species.

“Multiple domestic, European and international nature conservation designations apply in this location owing to the incredible spectrum of wildlife present. HIE and other members of the project development team will no doubt be aware of these, and have the best interests of preserving them at heart.”

HIE chief Charlotte Wright said: “The establishment of the UK’s first spaceport in the Highlands and Islands is a fantastic opportunity for Scotland.”

Infrastructure spokesman Jamie Greene said: “Clearly, lost water within such a large organisation is unavoidable. But, given this is one of the worst records in the UK, more needs to be done to reduce leaks further.

“Lessons could be learned through such collaboration. Bosses should also consider being a bit more transparent and making it easier for tax-payers to see how much water is lost in Scotland each day.”

However, Green MSP Ross Greer praised Scottish Water staff.

He said: “Thousands of dedicated public sector staff are working round the clock to cope with the extraordinary weather Scotland is experiencing.

“While there’s no room for complacency on leaks across our country’s extensive pipe network I think the Tories need to cool down.”