Britons flocked to beaches and parks on Bank Holiday Monday – the UK’s hottest day of the year so far

People flocked to parks and beaches to enjoy the balmy conditions, as 24.6C was recorded in Kinloss in Scotland on Monday, according to the Met Office.

This surpassed the previous high for 2021, set on March 30 at Kew Gardens in south-west London, when the temperature reached 24.5C.

But people were urged to make hay while the sun shines, as despite the warm start to the week, temperatures could soon dip – with the risk of thunderstorms on the way.

Many sun-seekers made an early start on Monday…

Although a fine bank holiday is rare, the temperatures are not unusual for the time of year, with the mercury usually sitting in the high teens and low 20s by late May.

The Met Office warned previously that levels of harmful UV light will be very high over the coming days, and advised people to wear plenty of sunscreen.