The Easter heatwave is set to continue with record-breaking temperatures today – just as a deluge has left a chilly Costa del Sol drenched.
The UK was yesterday hotter than Spain, Greece and Turkey, leaving millions basking in glorious sunshine and highs of 77F (25C) in the south of England.
Last night forecasters said the mercury could hit 81F (27C) in England today and tomorrow, smashing records set 70 years ago.
The Met Office’s Sophie Yeomans said: ‘With temperatures rising day-on-day, we could see some record-breaking temperatures by the time we get to Sunday and Monday. We are enjoying plenty of blue skies and sunshine and temperatures peaking at 27C.’
Others went for a dip in the cold water while wearing wetsuits, with this pair stopping to take a selfie on a Go Pro
Holidaymakers swarmed to Weymouth beach today, with a sea of people taking to the sand earlier today during the warmest day of the year so far
Scots took advantage of the great Bank Holiday weekend weather today by heading to Loch Morlich, pictured with snow-capped Cairngorms in the background
This group of tourists hit the water in a paddle boat in Weymouth in Dorset earlier today, where temperatures hit 24C
A Londoner lies on a towel and laps up the record-breaking sunshine in Hyde park on Easter Saturday afternoon
Crowds turned out in their numbers for a fantastic sunny day at north Berwick Beach, Northumberland. Nuria Pizzi – Martinez from Spain plays in the sand
Cherry juice makers Laurie Griffin & Hayley Davis and Hayley’s daughter Honor can afford to sit back and relax this Easter as the glorious weather has provided a stunning crop of blossom that should ensure a bumber harvest come July. The huge orchard near Milborne St Andrew in Dorset is one of the only outdoor cherry farms in the UK
This person decided to hang out in a hammock while reading a book in the sunshine in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
Bikini-clad sunbathers top up their tan on Boscombe Beach in Bournemouth where temperatures soared to almost 77F
A mother and son take their dog a punt on the River Cam in Cambridge
Swarms of families took to Weymouth beach in Dorset today, with many putting up tents to keep cool in the shade
The plume of hot air across Britain meant temperatures were far above the 12-15C highs expected at this time of year. The previous record for Easter Sunday was 77.5F (25.3C), which was recorded in the Solent, Hampshire, in April 2011.
Supermarkets yesterday said that they expected to see sales of sausages, burgers, ice lollies and ice cream surge.
Sainsbury’s revealed that it was forecasting sales of rosé wine to jump by 40 per cent compared with last week, sales of fake tan to treble and sun cream sales to rise by 800 per cent.
Pictured: a dog enjoys a splash in the sea off Scarborough beach while playing with a tennis ball with its owner
Thousands of visitors take to the beach in Brighton and Hove as sunny and hot weather helps populate the seaside resorts
The hot weather has seen thousands of families head to the seaside. Pictured: Brits stood outside a pub in Weymouth Old Town earlier today
Met Office forecaster said: ‘It’s going to be dry, bright and sunny for nearly everybody this weekend.’ Brighton Beach pictured
People enjoy the sunshine at Boscombe beach, Dorset, as Britain is set for a sunny Easter bank holiday weekend, that could break national records
A girl takes a lick of her ice cream cone before it melts in the sizzling bank holiday Saturday sunshine
A sunbather basks in the hot weather at Bournemouth beach, Dorset, as Britain enjoys its second day of scorching sunshine
A little boy had fun digging a hole in the sand today on Weymouth beach as temperatures in the UK soared
A paddle boarder in the water off Boscombe beach, Dorset, as Britain is set for a sizzling Easter bank holiday weekend
People play beach volleyball at Boscombe beach, Dorset, in scenes that may be more suitable to Copacabana beach in Rio
A group of runners take a morning run along the sea front in Bournemouth, Dorset
Families feed a group of hungry swans at Hyde Park on Saturday as thousands flocked to beaches and parks across the UK
A man performs a mid-day work out with cones in Hyde Park to make the most of the sizzling temperatures
Cyclists make their way past the colourful beach huts on Boscombe beach, Dorset, as others take in the sun on the sand
Hundreds of beachgoers in their swimming suits and trunks lap up the sun and take to the sand in Weymouth on Saturday
And at Waitrose, a spokesman said it was expecting sales of kebabs and steaks to increase by 150 per cent week-on-week, with burgers up 170 per cent as Britons lit their barbecues.
Meanwhile, Asda reported a ‘run on potato salad’.
But while hundreds of thousands of Britons flocked to beaches, lakes and parks to soak up the sunshine, there was misery for those caught up in rail engineering works, heavy traffic and delays caused by striking airport staff in Spain and Portugal.
Europe also missed out on the UK’s glorious weather, with Britain warmer than Barcelona and Majorca at 64F (18C), Rome 72F (22C) and Athens at 62F (17C).
There were thunderstorms, heavy rain and even warnings of localised flooding in South-East Spain.
People enjoy the hot weather at Bournemouth beach, Dorset, one of many places sizzling in the sun across the UK
London is likely to hit 25C (77F) today, with temperatures expected to reach into the 20s every day of the Bank Holiday week
Visitors to Weymouth enjoy the holiday sunshine and appear to fall asleep under the rays, risking burning from high temps
A field of rapeseed near Skirpenbeck, Yorkshire, as Britain is set for a sunny Easter bank holiday weekend, across the country
People out punting on the River Cam in Cambridge on Saturday afternoon, making the most of the hot Easter weather
Andy Hiscox tweeted: ‘We are having your Spanish weather this weekend, and you are apparently having some British rain in Spain’. Weymouth is pictured basking in glorious sunshine today
Londoners enjoy the warm Easter weather and an ice-cold drink in Hyde Park, in the west of the city
Two ladies enjoy an ice cream each as the Met Office says that temperatures could soar towards 26 degrees (79F) today
Pictured: holidaymakers on the promenade in Marbella hide under umbrellas in downpours yesterday afternoon
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