Great half-term escape: traffic trouble hits Britain AND it's going to rain

Half term holiday traffic hit the M5 near Bristol yesterday. Photo: PA

British staycationers heading off on their half term holidays were hit with gridlocked traffic yesterday - and there's more to come.

Experts estimate there will be around 15 million cars on the road this weekend, and say it is traditionally one of the most chaotic travel times of the year.

The good news? The weather is still set to be warm and dry for the next two days, reaching 20C in some parts of the country tomorrow.

The bad news? Next week could see rain showers and gale force winds.

Dan Williams from the Met Office said it would be a weekend of 'unseasonably mild temperatures', with most of Britain experiencing mainly cloud with occasional spells of sunshine.

He told the Daily Mail: 'There will be some showers, mainly in Scotland and the West, and the sunshine will be brightest in the South East.

'On Sunday it will be fine and dry with unseasonably mild temperatures for this time of year, with London and the South East reaching 20C.

'However, there will a risk of gales in exposed locations, and the weather will continue to be unsettled throughout the week, with a mixture of sunshine and showers expected in most regions.

'The rain will be heaviest in the West and South West, with strong winds expected, but above average temperatures.'

Four million UK trips will be made by Brits heading off on staycation over the next week.

Sarah Long of VisitBritain said: 'October half-term is an important week for the tourism industry and a great opportunity for people to enjoy the best that the country has to offer.'

As usual, a spokesman for Network Rail advised travellers to check their website before heading off on a train journey, adding that engineering work will be taking place at various sites, 'just like any other weekend'.

Airports are also expected to be rammed, with BAA predicting over 215,000 passengers will pass through Heathrow.

And the top half-term long-haul hotspots? New York, followed by Dubai, Dublin, Amsterdam and LA.

Make the most of the beautiful weekend weather by discovering some of Britain's most beautiful gardens:

%VIRTUAL-Gallery-123269%


Sign up to our weekly newsletterFollow us on TwitterBecome a fan on Facebook