Minke whale spotted in Cornwall as UK enjoys balmy Easter holiday weather

Much of the UK basked in balmy temperatures this weekend with hordes of people hitting the beaches across the country.

And it wasn't just Easter holidaymakers enjoying the warmth on the coast.

An incredible minke whale was spotted splashing around off the coast of Cornwall, eight miles south of Falmouth harbour, by tourists on a wildlife cruise.

Billy Burton, of AK Wildlife Cruises, told Aol Travel: "This was one of our longest trips, lasting 6 hours, which gives the ideal amount of time to maximise the chances of seeing cetaceans.

"Soon enough, we pulled a Harbour Porpoise, the smallest of all British cetacean species, and this delighted our guests... However nothing compares to the awe-inducing sight of a 12 foot long Minke Whale surging through the waves!

"The whale was travelling at an incredible pace, reaching around 10 knots at its peak, bursting through the swell in water that was brimming with fish."

Captain Keith B Leeves added that "it is an absolute privilege to see any type of cetacean, but to be rewarded by a minke whale is one of the most thrilling experiences imaginable, especially this early in the season! We were delighted to catch up with this young baleen whale, and we can't wait to see what other exciting species we can find in the coming weeks.

'All in all, this one of the best trips of the season so far, full of fantastic, breathtaking wildlife. With more and more wildlife arriving daily, and all of us here at AK Wildlife Cruises are extremely excited for the Easter Period, as we aim to find more glorious cetaceans, out off the wonderful Cornish coast."

Sunseekers enjoyed the rays in many parks, while children enjoyed donkey rides on the beach at Weston-Super-Mare in Somerset, and the crowds hit the pebbles on Brighton beach.

Holidaymakers have been told to make the most of the 19C temperatures this week though, as an "Arctic plunge" will bring colder weather over the Easter weekend, before the return of the "heatwave".

There's good news for the weeks ahead as weather forecasters have predicted a three-month heatwave from mid-April to June.

Many parts of the UK are set to enjoy higher-than-average temperatures, with the mercury rising all the way until the end of June.

In the meantime, over a million Brits are escaping Blighty for foreign shore this Easter.

Mark Tanzer, of travel organisation ABTA, told the Daily Star: "We estimate that more than a million British holidaymakers are set to head overseas.

"Spain is the UK's favourite foreign holiday destination over the weekend, with the Canary and Balearic islands the most popular areas."

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