'Where's the water gone?!' It's 30C but no relief from the fountains in Wolverhampton's Queen Square
A Wolverhampton city centre fountain is not able to switch on due to a fault as temperatures soar to 30°C.
Residents in the city who are looking for some relief amid the heatwave may be left disappointed as the water feature in Queen Square is currently unbale to operate.
The fountain often proves popular in the summer months, particularly among youngsters who are looking to cool down or have fun in the sun.
Wolverhampton Council confirmed there is an issue with the feature which is "making it difficult" to test the water quality - but said it will be turned on "immediately" when safe to do so.
A spokeswoman for the local authority said: "There is a fault with a controller which is making it difficult to ensure that the water quality is safe for us to switch it on.
"This is currently being looked into by the rangers and our pool plant operators. Once the controller is repaired, we will submit a water sample for testing and, if safe, will turn on the feature immediately."
The £300,000 fountain in Queen Square opened more than a year late in July 2009 after a series of delays.
It picked up the Marsh Fountain of the Year award in 2012, which pays tribute to the best new or newly-restored fountain or water feature.
Among those who usually enjoy the fountain is four-year-old Opie Grimes, who plays in the water every time he visits Wolverhampton.
Dad, Gary, told the Express & Star: "You can't stop him usually runs straight through it, no matter where we have got to go he is straight in there."
According to the Met Office, temperatures are expected to hit 30°C in Wolverhampton and Walsall on Friday (June 20) and Saturday, while Sandwell and Dudley could see highs of 29°C.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an amber heat-health warning for several parts of the country including the West Midlands.
The alert, which was put in place from 12pm on Thursday and will end at 9am on Monday (June 23), means "significant impacts" are likely across health and social care services due to high temperatures.
According to the UKHSA, this could mean an increased demand on all health and social care services and a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions.
