Local people were using every means available to them on the hottest day of the year to keep cool.
Crowds gathered at the ford near Twyford in a bid to cool down while others were seen jumping off the bridge in Sonning into the River Thames.
During Drowning Prevention and Water safety Week, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service staff were at Sonning, Caversham, Windsor and Reading to speak to residents and raise awareness of the risks associated with open water.
A spokesman said: “Although being near water is regarded by some as being a low risk activity, national statistics demonstrate that this is not the case.”
“The danger posed by open water is clear and despite our best efforts, lives are lost every year in Royal Berkshire’s waterways. Under the surface the water can contain unseen dangers, such as strong currents and reeds, which could pull you under, causing problems even for the best of swimmers.”
However, the rain came on Sunday and the forecast is for cooler weather in the days to come with temperatures dropping to between 21 and 24 degrees Celsius.
PHOTOS BY PAUL KING