A very Good Friday!
UK bakes in 75F as it rains in Spain... now get set for sizzling Saturday
BRITONS will be sizzled by the sun this weekend as traditional hot spots in Europe are hit by rain and cooler temperatures.
The mercury peaked at 24.1C (75F) at Hearne airfield near Bournemouth yesterday – making it the hottest day of the year.
Temperatures in the UK outshone many other countries across the continent, including Spain, Portugal and Italy.
Large parts of Spain were hit with showers, with temperatures remaining at 19C (66F). Portugal (20C) and Italy (21C) were also in Britain’s shadow.
Forecasters said it could get even hotter over the weekend, and the UK could see record temperatures for Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.
Yesterday tens of thousands of visitors flocked to Devon and Cornwall to make the most of the sunshine. It was predicted about £80 million will be spent in Cornwall over the Easter break, providing a welcome economic boost.
Holidaymakers also took refreshing dips in the sea in Llandudno, Colwyn Bay and Rhyl, where millions of pounds have been spent on redeveloping the seafront.
Sunseekers also flocked to Bournemouth seafront in Dorset to soak up the bank holiday rays. Car parks at the seaside resort were full, with hotels selling out their rooms to tourists and lastminute holiday makers. By midday, an estimated 5,000 people were on the beach. According to official figures, nearly 10 million people were due to head off on an Easter break yesterday. A survey of 1,258 people by VisitEngland indicated that 7.4 million people planned an overnight trip in the UK this weekend. The figure is up from 4.8 million last year and is the most since the annual survey began in 2013. Travel trade association Abta expects 2.1 million holidaymakers to head overseas this weekend, with demand for Spain, Turkey and Egypt, while an estimated 4.4 million car journeys for leisure trips were made in Britain yesterday.