Hottest temperature of 2016 recorded with fine weather tipped to continue

Britons have basked in the hottest temperatures of the year so far - with forecasters predicting the mercury to soar to the mid-30s this week.

Record highs of 27.6C (81.7F) were recorded in several parts of England on Sunday, nudging ahead of the previous best of 27.4C set on June 6.

And the fine summer weather - coinciding with the beginning of the school holidays - shows no signs of stopping.

Steven Keates, senior forecaster with the Met Office, said: "For the week ahead, the first couple of days are getting warmer.

"Monday will get off to a misty and hazy start in a few places but will be up to 27C (80.6F) in some of the cooler places such as west Scotland.

"London and the Midlands might be knocking on the door of 30C (86F) and then even further - 33C and 34C (93.2F) by Tuesday.

"Things will cool down a bit overnight into Wednesday, but even then it will still be the mid-20s."

Mr Keates said there will be a handful of isolated thunder storms before the week was out, but that temperatures would largely remain above average for the time of year.