ONCE again Brits have been caught unawares by summer. More used to leaden skies, the annual appearance of the sun has surprised many, with temperatures in London reaching 30.1C on Monday, the hottest of the year so far.

The heat has been so extreme that in northern England a bushfire has ripped through grassland. In scenes more akin to Australia than Britain, hundreds of firefighters have been tackling a blaze on Saddleworth Moor, 24km east of Manchester.

But it could be worse. You could be a Scottish farmer struggling to come to terms with temperatures shooting into double figures wondering if you’ll make it home.

A video of the unnamed farmer’s struggle uploaded by the BBC to social media is heading towards a million views.

In the middle of the paddock, the man repeatedly declares, “I’ve never seen it so hot,” as he films a field that, by Australian standards, is unbelievably verdant and lush.

“Three weeks with no rain. Things are seriously dry,” he says to the camera, his face flushed.

“It must be at least 14.5 degrees, maybe 15.”

He admits he has a “bit of a situation”.

“My truck’s broken down and I’m at least a quarter of a mile from the farm and I’m out of water.

“If this is my last message and I don’t make it home due to heat exhaustion, tell Willy I’ll not be at darts tonight. And tell my sister Elsa there’s a scotch egg in the fridge which will be out of date on Thursday.”

In case you’re worried about the Scotsman’s plight, the video was posted on the BBC Comedy Facebook page.