Balmy Britain basks in record temperatures... but will it last?

Ice-cream and sunshine on Bournemouth beach. Image: Caters

Temperatures in the UK reached a whopping 20C on Friday – and the early warm spell is set to continue as forecasters have predicted that temperatures will reach up to 21C in the South.

Wenn

The balmy weather, which is well above average for late March, is making parts of the UK as hot as Bermuda and the Mediterranean, and looks here to stay for the weekend and into next week.

There'll be clear skies and unbroken sunshine, with the South and West enjoying the best weather and in the North it will be slightly cooler, although even here temperatures will rise to a comfortable 16C.

But are we in for a warm Spring? Senior meteorologist at British Weather Services, Jim Dale told Aol Travel: "The warm weather will stay for the rest of March.

"We do think it will push into early April but then we believe we will start to see changeable weather with some showers.

"The weather we're experiencing is unusual and spring will be a lot more mixed and changeable,'" he said.

PA

Thousands of people are predicted to flock to Britain's beaches and parks this weekend to enjoy the warm spell and temperatures of 21C on Sunday will come close to the 25 March record of 22C in 1953.

Bournemouth beach will be particularly popular, as the world's largest deckchair is taking pride of place on the sand. Artist Stuart Murdoch spent three weeks putting the structure together to celebrate the beginning of British Summer Time.

Speaking in the Metro, the artist said: "Deckchairs are so quintessentially British - everyone who has seen it has smiled and it's great to watch people drawn to it like a magnet."

Need some inspiration for a quick trip to the coast? Check out some of our favourite beaches below...

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