HAS BRITISH SUMMERTIME FINALLY ARRIVED?

Sunseeker Melanie Schroder from Argentina enjoys the heat in London's Green Park

Thursday July 24,2008

By Emily Garnham

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IT MAY have missed the deadline but summer has finally arrived.

Sun-worshippers nationwide were hurrying home this evening to dust off deckchairs and rescue barbecues from sheds because the sun is here to stay – for the weekend at least.

The south east of the country enjoyed the hottest weather and the Met Office recorded temperatures of up to 28 degrees Celsius in the capital this afternoon.

As city workers were shedding jackets and ties to spend their lunch hours basking in the sunshine, UK beaches were packed with bikini-clad Brits enjoying the hot spell.

*** SEE MORE SUMMER PICS IN OUR PHOTO GALLERY! ***

Summer fun in Margate, Kent

A spokesman for the Met Office told express.co.uk: “The wind is coming from the near continent in a southerly direction so we’re dragging up all the warm air right across France from the Mediterranean.”

“There was the odd light shower in Northern Ireland but on the whole a dry warm day for most - even up into Scotland where it was around 20 degrees.”

And the good news is the high temperatures are set to continue right into the weekend.

We’re dragging up all the warm air right across France from the Mediterranean.

Met Office spokesman

“Over the weekend it will stay on the warm side but there’s an increased threat of a few showers breaking out if you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time!” he said.

Supermarkets are prepared for a surge in sales of summertime favourites such as ice-lollies and burgers.

A spokeswoman for Tesco explained: “The recent warm weather has seen our sales in ice cream and our frozen barbecue range increase as people stock up their freezers to be ready for al fresco dining at a moment's notice.”

Today Ladbrokes slashed the odds of a record-breaking UK temperature being set from 8-1 to 4-1.

The current record stands at 38.5 degrees Celsius in Brogdale, Kent in 2003.

A spokesman for the bookmakers said: “The recent increase in temperatures has caused a surge in our weather market.

Holidaymakers soak up the sun

“Over the last few days we’ve seen a lot more people coming in and placing bets on a new temperature record being set.”

*** TODAY IN PICTURES: BRITS ENJOYING THE SUNSHINE! ***

*** HOW WILL YOU BE ENJOYING THE SUNSHINE THIS WEEKEND? ADD YOUR COMMENTS BELOW! ***

TRISTRAM

25.07.08, 1:33am

I'm sitting laughing at your comment....

However, my vision is men with shorts, t-shirt stretched over a huge beer gut and socks with sandals......

Yuk!

• Posted by: SandieL • Report Comment

ABOUT TIME TOO!

25.07.08, 12:44am

Gosh! I thought that this was going to be another miserable bum run like last year but no, the totty is out again in the newspapers. Phoowarrah, wot a scorcher!

• Posted by: Tristram • Report Comment