Warmest day of the year greets British summer time

The first day of British Summer Time saw Britons enjoy the warmest temperatures of the year so far.

Temperatures exceeded 20 Celsius (68F) in parts of the country. Source: Press Association.

St James's Park in London and Santon Downham in Norfolk were the hottest parts of Britain, reaching 20.9C (69.6F), according to forecasters MeteoGroup.

The previous highest temperature was 20.5C (68.9F) in Gravesend, Kent on March 9.

And the balmy weather is likely to remain over the coming days, said Rachel Vince, senior forecaster at MeteoGroup.

"The mild weather looks like continuing through much of Britain through next few days. I'm not sure whether we will top 20.9C because there will be more cloud around, but we could get close or equal to that at times," said Ms Vince.

"It's a few degrees warmer that we would expect for this time of year."

But the high temperatures are also likely to bring storms to western and central parts tonight, while fog and cloud will persist in areas around the north sea coast.

The weather front is being driven by hot air currently over the Low Countries, added Ms Vince.
Mild springtime temperatures are also good news for Britain's plants and animals after the wettest winter on record.

Matthew Oates, wildlife adviser at the National Trust, said: "The weather owes us and nature a great spring."

"This warm spell is great news for butterflies as they soak up the sunshine, fluttering through gardens and parks, and brilliant for birds as they get ready for the breeding season and fill the air with sweet music. If the sunny weather continues through the week it's also good news all round for blossom on fruit trees and that classic symbol of spring, the bluebell."

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