Sunshine resorts draw thousands to coast

Although hazy cloud shaved a few degrees off the temperatures being enjoyed further inland, the county’s resort towns had a welcome early season boost for the first bank holiday weekend of the year.

Around two million people have travelled abroad for the holiday weekend but European hotspots are likely to see comparatively low temperatures to those at home.

And the unseasonally warm weather is set to continue today and tomorrow before tailing off on Monday.

The Met Office recorded a temperature of nearly 23C at Church Fenton in North Yorkshire yesterday with much of the rest of the county enjoying temperatures above 20C and largely unbroken sunshine.

There was similar weather almost everywhere else in the country with only a small number of exceptions on the north-east coast, notably Edinburgh, where it was a relatively chilly 8C.

Forecasters predict temperatures to reach 23C in Yorkshire again today and a similar level tomorrow. Much cooler weather is expected on Monday, with the prospect of showers.

Further ahead, widespread showers should have cleared by Thursday, leaving a breezy, clear day for the Royal Wedding Bank Holiday on Friday.