UNSEASONAL WARMTH

London

On February 26, Kew Gardens, in South West London, recorded a temperature of 21.2C – the highest on record for a winter month.

Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said it bears “the fingerprint of climate change”.

He said: “Earlier this year we had the warmest winter day on record. We also had the hottest temperature ever officially recorded occurring within the one year and although there’s little to link those two events, there’s the suspicion that these temperatures are being increased because of climate change.

“Certainly, the fingerprint of climate change is in a lot of these records. To see temperatures of over 20C on a winter’s day is exceptional.”