Bank Holiday FUNDAY! Britain is set for HOTTEST day of year with sizzling 77F
HOTTEST day of 2021: Thousands make the most of new found freedoms to cram parks and beaches as heat hits record 76.3F on Bank Holiday Monday (while ministers wrangle over June 21 ‘freedom day’)
- High temperatures forecast for next few weeks after UK set new 2021 high of 76.3F (24.6C) in Scotland today
- Britons have basked in sun over bank-holiday weekend and packed out beaches and parks across the country
- Downing Street sources say June 21 freedom plan is ’50/50′ amid calls for date to be delayed ‘by a few weeks’
Britons today basked in the hottest day of 2021 so far today as bank holiday Monday brought highs of 77F (25C) and two million drivers hit the roads – while scientists warned ‘freedom day’ June 21 is on a ‘knife edge’.
With three weeks to go until all Covid-19 restrictions are due to end, Downing Street sources said the plan was ’50/50′ amid calls by Sage advisers for it to be delayed ‘by a few weeks’ amid rising cases of the Indian variant.
Millions of Britons have enjoyed a hot weekend at beaches and parks, which are now looking mostly back to how they were pre-pandemic, but discussions continue within the Government over whether it can hit the target date.
While people have been able to see their friends indoors, visit the cinema or theatre and hold outdoor gatherings of up to 30 people since May 17, there are still restrictions on event capacities and nightclubs remain closed.
People are now flocking to parks and beaches as they make the most of the turnaround in conditions – with the spell of summer sunshine now expected to last more than two weeks, following the fourth wettest May on record.
A top UK temperature of 76.3F (24.6C) was recorded this afternoon at Kinloss in the Scottish Highlands – beating the previous warmest day of 2021 which was two months ago on March 30 when West London hit 76.1F (24.5C).
Conditions will improve further this week with highs of 81F (27C) by Wednesday, making Britain hotter than Rome which will only reach 77F (25C) – and it follows two days of glorious weather already over the three-day weekend.
This afternoon, the beaches of Lyme Regis, Bournemouth and Camber Sands looked particularly busy as the excellent weather continued, after highs of 75.2F (24C) were observed yesterday and 73.2F (22.9C) on Saturday.
With the start of meteorological summer now just one day away, Britons have been flocking outdoors and making the most of sitting outside pubs and restaurants after Covid-19 restrictions were mostly lifted on May 17.
Last week it seemed likely that the June 21 unlock would go ahead, but one minister has now said the Government ‘couldn’t rule anything out’ after daily infections breached 4,000 on Friday for the first time in nearly two months.
Meanwhile a rugby-themed mass Covid vaccination event set at the 82,000-seat Twickenham Stadium in London will jab as many as 15,000 people today, with the huge walk-in operation hosted there from 10am to 8pm tonight.
People enjoy the hot weather on Bournemouth beach this afternoon as they flock to the Dorset coast on bank holiday Monday
Sunbathers and holidaymakers flock to the beach at the seaside resort of Weymouth in Dorset this afternoon
People enjoy the hot weather at Brighton beach in East Sussex this afternoon as families head to the seaside
Crowds enjoy the sunshine on the beach at Bournemouth in Dorset this afternoon amid the very warm weather
People enjoy the hot weather at Brighton beach this afternoon as visitors flock to the East Sussex coast
People pack onto Bournemouth beach today as the UK enjoys very warm temperatures on the hottest day of 2021 so far
Crowds enjoy the sunshine on the beach at Bournemouth in Dorset this afternoon as the warm weather continues
Sunbathers and holidaymakers flock to the beach at the seaside resort of Lyme Regis in Dorset this morning
People enjoy the warm weather at Bournemouth beach in Dorset today as families make the most of bank holiday Monday
People enjoy the warm weather on Bournemouth beach today as bank holiday Monday could be the hottest day of the year
Lyme Regis in Dorset is packed with families and sunbathers enjoying the sunshine this morning
People enjoy the warm weather on Bournemouth beach in Dorset this afternoon as temperatures rise across England
Sunbathers and holidaymakers flock to the beach at the seaside resort of Weymouth in Dorset this afternoon
The beach in Bournemouth is already packed this morning at the start of a very hot bank holiday Monday in England
Sunbathers and holidaymakers flock to the beach at the seaside resort of Lyme Regis in Dorset this morning
Families enjoy a day at the beach as they splash about in the sea off Bournemouth beach in Dorset this afternoon
The beach at Lyme Regis in Dorset packed with families and sunbathers enjoying the sunshine this morning
The roaring success of the jabs drive has seen almost 40million adults given at least one dose and 25million fully inoculated
This map shows how Covid cases changed across the UK in the week up to May 23. It indicates infections rose fastest in parts of London and the North West where the Indian variant is dominant, but that they are also rising in other areas
Meanwhile, SAGE advisers today called for England’s June 21 Freedom Day to be delayed ‘by a few weeks’ amid rising cases of the Indian Covid variant – as a minister admitted the Government ‘couldn’t rule anything out’.
Professor Ravi Gupta, who sits on the NERVTAG subgroup, urged No10 to push back the crucial date to allow more people to get vaccinated before ditching all social distancing and mask-wearing rules.
Britain’s BIGGEST vaccine hub: 15,000 Covid jabs to be given out at Twickenham stadium TODAY in huge drive to beat rising cases of Indian variant
A rugby-themed mass Covid vaccination event set in the stadium home of the sport will jab as many as 15,000 people today.
The 82,000 seat Twickenham Stadium will host the huge walk-in operation from 10am to 8pm tonight.
It is hoped the push will give locals their first dose of the vaccine without delay of having to book or wait.
The home of English Rugby has become UK’s biggest vaccination hub for one day only
The initiative comes as the spread of the Indian variant of coronavirus threatens plans to reopen the country on June 21.
Latest figures for England showed there were a further 3,240 positive tests yesterday and 22,474 over the past seven days, which represents a 26.8 % rise on the previous week.
The Twickenham jabbing day was dreamt up by a partnership of the local NHS and Hounslow Council with support from England RFU.
It is situated by Hounslow, which is currently under surge testing due to increased variant cases.
Pippa Nightingale, chief nurse in north-west London said: ‘We know we are finally due some lovely weather on Monday.
‘But if you are eligible and you haven’t had your vaccine yet, we encourage you to take some time out of your day and come and see us.’
The Cambridge University expert claimed there were early signs the third wave had already begun – after daily infections breached 4,000 on Friday for the first time in nearly two months – and warned it could become ‘quite explosive’ over the next few months.
During a round of interviews this morning, Environment Secretary George Eustice said the Government ‘couldn’t rule anything out’ when asked if the June 21 unlocking could be pushed back. He insisted a decision would be made in a fortnight’s time when ministers will know more about the Indian strain’s effect on hospital rates.
The roaring success of the vaccine programme has seen almost 40million adults given at least one dose of the jab and 25million fully inoculated. But it leaves more than 5million Britons over-50 either unvaccinated or only partially protected.
Professor Gupta said the jab rollout was giving people a ‘false sense of security’ because infection rates were still relatively low, but claimed it was inevitable unvaccinated people would eventually start to fall ill with the highly infectious strain.
His comments were echoed by Professor Susan Michie, who sits on SAGE’s SPI-B committee. She warned Britain was on a ‘knife-edge’ as it approached June 21 deadline. The behavioural scientist, from University College London, said fully opening the country as planned could lead to a serious spike akin to the second wave in the winter.
‘Either it could run away as it did before Christmas, which would be extremely serious and we’d have more restrictions, or it could be contained,’ she told Sky News.
Last week the noise from Government was that the June 21 date was likely to go ahead but sources in No10 say there is now a ’50 – 50′ chance.
Mr Eustice told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘The Prime Minister has said all along that he is going to take this one step at a time and will only make the judgement on the next step, on June 21, about a week before that.
‘The rates are going up again slightly but from a low base and probably to be expected, given there are a significant number of younger people who are now out and mixing but haven’t had the vaccine – I suppose that is to be expected. But the right thing to do in a couple of weeks’ time is to assess that data before deciding what we can do.’
Ministers are set to make a final decision on whether to push on with the last phase of the roadmap on June 14, a week before the restrictions are set to be ditched.
The Prime Minister has repeatedly promised he will be led by ‘data not dates’, and said his roadmap will be ‘irreversible’.
It comes as NHS chiefs warned the lockdown-induced backlog of treatments for ailments other than Covid means even a small increase in the number of Covid patients could cause hospitals to be overstretched once again.
Amid the concern over whether June 21 will be hit, the forecast is looking very promising for the next few weeks as Britons enjoy some much-needed sunshine.
There is no sign of rain in the near future, with the spell of summer sunshine now expected to last more than a fortnight. BBC Weather reports that daily highs will remain at around 74F (23C) until at least the middle of June.
Visitors arrive to enjoy the weather on the beaches of Camber Sands on the East Sussex coast this morning
People queue to use the stepping stones over the River Dove during warm weather in Dovedale in the Peak District today
People enjoy the sun at outdoor restaurant tables in Kingston, South West London, this afternoon
Maddie Houston and Jack Baird walk along Murlough Beach in Northern Ireland this afternoon
Ivy, six, and her sister Ruby Durdin, five, play in the water today at Balmer Lawn near Brockenhurst in the New Forest
People enjoy the sun while boating on the River Thames at Kingston, South West London, this afternoon
Sunbathers flock to the beach at the seaside resort of Lyme Regis in Dorset this morning
The beach in Bournemouth was packed this morning as sunseekers enjoy the weather on bank holiday Monday
Andrew Tinsley, 11, rides the sand dunes at Murlough Beach in Northern Ireland this afternoon
A very busy Bournemouth beach this bank holiday Monday which is promising to be one of the hottest days of the year
(From left) Colby Millar, four, Ella Lawrence, four, and Jackson Lawerence jump over the waves at Murlough Beach today
People enjoy the sunshine at Bolton Abbey in Yorkshire today as people enjoy a very warm bank holiday Monday
People zip line across the sea from Bournemouth pier in Dorset today as bank holiday Monday
Mariana Udroiu with her son Nicolas (left) and his friend Jack Heron have a picnic in the sand dunes of Murlough Beach today
People enjoy the sun alongside the River Thames in Kingston, South West London, this afternoon
A woman paddle boards with a dog on the canal in Paddington Basin in West London this afternoon
People enjoy the good weather at Portobello beach near Edinburgh today as people enjoy a warm bank holiday Monday
People enjoy the pedalos and paddle boats on Portishead Marine Lake in Somerset today on a very warm day
Two people pull a boat across the sand at Portobello beach near Edinburgh in the sunshine this afternoon
People zip line across the sea from Bournemouth pier in Dorset today on a very warm bank holiday Monday
Two young women have a water-pistol fight as they cool off in the water at Hackney Marshes in East London today
Paddleboarders in the sea at Portobello beach near Edinburgh today as people enjoy a very hot bank holiday Monday
Heavy traffic on the M5 motorway near Bristol today as motorists head south to enjoy the bank holiday sunshine
A lifeguard on a jet ski patrols the beach at Bournemouth today as people go for a swim off the coast of Dorset
People enjoy the sunshine at Portobello beach near Edinburgh today on the warmest day of the year so far
Two people carry a tandem bicycle across the sand at Portobello beach near Edinburgh this afternoon
A couple take a selfie on the pier at Boscombe in Bournemouth this afternoon as visitors flock to the Dorset coast
Met Office meteorologist Becky Mitchell said the mercury could reach 77F (25C) today. Temperatures will be at least in the mid-70Fs (low 20Cs) for most of the UK, even northern Scotland.
Ms Mitchell said: ‘The only exception is along the east coast – there is quite a lot of low cloud, mist and fog in east coastal areas and that will stay for the next few days, so highs of between 12C (53.6F) and 16C (60.8F) there.’
Photos from the weekend showed Britons making the most of the weather, with beaches and parks packed. Party-goers were spotted out in force last night, with the city centres of Leeds and Newcastle particularly bustling.
Day-trippers piled in to several picturesque seaside resorts and basked in glorious sunshine as they enjoyed clear blue skies on the packed beach on Lyme Regis, while punts and kayaks filled the River Cam in Cambridge.
Droves of lockdown-weary Brits made the journey to Devon in a bid to enjoy the hot weather – as roughly 75,000 visitors were expected at Brighton, with 50,000 at Bournemouth and 50,000 at Blackpool.
Bank Holiday madness – People pose for pictures on the cliff edge as hundreds of people arrive at Birling Gap in Sussex today
A group of visitors take a dangerousn selfie on the cliff edge as hundreds of people arrive at Birling Gap in Sussex today
Members of the public visit Birling Gap in East Sussex today as they walk right up to the cliff edge
A dog cools off in the water as a swimmer passes by at Hackney Marshes in East London this afternoon
People enjoy the sun while out on a boat on the River Thames in Kingston, South West London, this afternoon
People punt and kayak on the River Cam at Grantchester Meadows near Cambridge this afternoon
Pub tables are packed as sunseekers enjoy a drink on Gateshead Quayside this afternoon in front of the Tyne Bridge
Hundreds of people arrive at Birling Gap in Sussex today to enjoy the bank holiday with a snaking line of parked cars
People at Portobello beach near Edinburgh today as Britons make the most of the very warm bank holiday Monday
Heavy traffic on the M5 motorway near Bristol today as motorists head south to enjoy the sunshine
People paddle and swim at Warleigh Weir in Bath today as they make the most of the very hot bank holiday Monday
People ride pedalos on the Serpentine at Hyde Park in London today as they enjoy the very warm weather
People enjoying the warm weather in Dovedale in the Peak District this afternoon on the hottest day of the year so far
People dance on a pier as they enjoy the hot weather at Brighton beach in East Sussex this afternoon
People picnic and sunbathe in fields next to Warleigh Weir in Bath today as they make the most of the sunshine
Sun-seekers cool off in the water with a drink at Hackney Marshes in East London this afternoon
Members of the public visit Birling Gap in East Sussex this afternoon as they make the most of a day on the beach
A man and girl play with an inflatable in the sea at Bournemouth today as people flock to the Dorset coast
Sisters Elsie (left), 8, and Erin, 12, enjoy Portishead Lido in Somerset today as they make the most of the warm weather
People picnic and sunbathe in fields next to Warleigh Weir in Bath this afternoon as the hot weather continues
A man sits outside his beach hut on Bournemouth beach in Dorset this afternoon
People paddle and swim in Warleigh Weir in Bath today as Britons enjoy the warmest day of the year so far
A very busy Bournemouth beach this bank holiday Monday as people make the most of the warm weather
Families flock to Bournemouth beach in Dorset today as they make the most of the warm weather on bank holiday Monday
Two women hold a drink as they walk along the promenade at Bournemouth beach in Dorset this afternoon
Some 11million daytrippers were clogging roads over the weekend, RAC data showed, with traffic jams due on coastal routes including the A23 to Brighton, A31 to Dorset, A30 to Cornwall and M55 to Blackpool.
At least two million separate leisure journeys were expected to take place today, but the RAC said this figure could be even higher if more people are tempted out by the excellent weather.
One local who visited The Imperial pub in Exeter said his family had to wait more than two hours for a round of drinks as the city’s beer gardens saw an influx of revellers to enjoy their time off in the sun.
Forecasters at the Met Office warned people to slap on plenty of sun cream as UV light levels will be high or very high. However, Ms Mitchell warned there could be some thunderstorms for some parts of the UK on the way.
A dog named Ruby shakes off water after being in the River Dove in Dovedale in the Peak District today
People go on a zip wire as they enjoy the hot weather on Brighton seafront in East Sussex this afternoon
People enjoying the warm weather in Dovedale in the Peak District this afternoon on bank holiday Monday
People queue outside a kiosk at a busy Bournemouth beach in Dorset today as they make the most of the warm weather
People sits on the beach at Bournemouth today as sunseekers flock to the seaside in Dorset this afternoon
A woman cools off in the water at Hackney Marshes in East London this afternoon while a dog also goes for a dip
People paddle board in the sea off of Bournemouth beach in Dorset this afternoon
A busy Bournemouth beach in Dorset this afternoon on what looks like to be the hottest day of the year to date
A busy Bournemouth beach in Dorset today on what looks like to be the hottest day of the year to date
A busy Bournemouth beach today as people queue up for refreshments on a very hot bank holiday Monday
Sun-seekers cool off in the water with a drink at Hackney Marshes in East London this afternoon
A very busy Bournemouth beach this bank holiday Monday as temperatures soar in southern England
People enjoying the warm weather at Dovedale in the Peak District this afternoon as temperatures soar across Britain
People flock to Bournemouth beach on the Dorset coast today as they make the most of their bank holiday Monday
A bulldog is carried over stepping stones during warm weather at Dovedale in the Peak District this afternoon
People walk along the promenade at Bournemouth beach in Dorset this morning as they enjoy the warm weather
A dog walker makes their way along Boscombe Pier in Bournemouth, Dorset, this afternoon
Families flock to Bournemouth beach in Dorset today as they make the most of the very warm bank holiday Monday weather
A very busy Bournemouth beach this bank holiday Monday today which is promising to be one of the hottest days of the year
Two people put up a tent as they enjoy the sunshine on a very busy Bournemouth beach in Dorset today
Two people walk along Bournemouth beach this morning as they enjoy the warm weather on bank holiday Monday
A very busy Bournemouth beach this bank holiday Monday today which is promising to be one of the hottest days of the year
People apply suncream as they make the most of the warm weather on Bournemouth beach in Dorset today
Bournemouth beach is busy today on bank holiday Monday as people flock to enjoy the warm weather
A busy Bournemouth beach in Dorset today as people flock to the seaside to enjoy the bank holiday Monday
A very busy Bournemouth beach this bank holiday Monday today as temperatures soar across the country
Sunseekers flock to Bournemouth beach today as they make the most of the weather conditions today
A man reads a newspaper outside his beach hut on Bournemouth beach in Dorset in the morning sunshine today
A woman takes her dogs for a run this morning on Branksome beach in Bournemouth on bank holiday Monday
Two women go for an early morning swim on Branksome beach in Bournemouth today as a dog watches on
‘There will potentially be some thunderstorms by midweek, the first bout of showers will come into parts of the South West and there will be a few thunderstorms in that,’ she said.
The storms in the South West are expected to hit on Wednesday, with the South East due a bit of a soaking by Friday.
‘There’s a chance of some thundery break down in the south east and we could have some quite intense storms there,’ Ms Mitchell said.
‘There’s still a lot of uncertainty but with the warm and humid weather we are having we have the key ingredients for thunder storms.’
A cyclist makes their way along the promenade at Branksome beach in Bournemouth this morning
People look out at the water while others take their dogs for a walk on Branksome beach in Bournemouth this morning
A woman goes for an early morning swim in the sea amid the warm weather at Bournemouth in Dorset this morning
A man takes his board into the water at Bournemouth beach this morning on a very warm day for Britain
A woman goes for a jog in the sunshine along the promenade at Bournemouth beach in Dorset this morning
A woman enjoys an early morning dip in the sea off Bournemouth beach in Dorset this morning
A few people were seen lying on the beach next to bottles in the sand at Bournemouth in Dorset this morning
Three men dry off after enjoying an early morning swim in the water at Bournemouth beach in Dorset today
A runner passes a cyclist on the promenade at Bournemouth this morning as people enjoy some exercise in the warmth
People out early for swimming and enjoying the heat on Branksome beach in Bournemouth this morning
A swimmer holds their arms up on Branksome beach in Bournemouth today at the start of a hot bank holiday Monday
People take their dogs for a walk on Branksome beach in Bournemouth this morning at the start of a hot bank holiday Monday
Two people walk over the sand at Branksome beach in Bournemouth today as they enjoy the morning sunshine today
Two women look to the beach as they enjoy a swim in the water at Bournemouth in Dorset this morning
People out early for swimming and enjoying the heat on Branksome beach in Bournemouth this morning
People go for a walk along the sand at Bournemouth in Dorset this morning while a man holds an inflatable
Two people enjoy some time on the beach at Bournemouth in Dorset today at the start of a very warm bank holiday Monday
Bags of rubbish are piled up by a bin at Cannon Hill Park in Birmingham this morning as the bank holiday weekend continues
A woman walks pust rubbish left behind at Cannon Hill Park in Birmingham this morning on the bank holiday weekend
Rubbish left behind at Birmingham’s Cannon Hill Park this morning after hundreds visited the park to enjoy the sun yesterday
She continued: ‘The warmer weather will stick around until at least Thursday in most places, that’s when we could get some slightly fresher air coming in.
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 20Cs 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.
May has been the fourth wettest on record for the UK, with an average of 199mm (7.8in) falling, and the wettest ever for Wales.
Hot weather lures enormous sunfish to Cornish coast
The hot weather has lured enormous sunfish the size of a small car from the tropics to the coast off Cornwall.
The giant but harmless ocean sunfish – which grow to 10ft long and 14ft deep and can weigh more than two tons – have arrived just along the coast from Port Isaac, the seaside village where Doc Martin is filmed.
Lured by the suddenly warming seas, they are heading for the South West coast – and they eat jellyfish, which is good news for families fearing attacks from Portuguese Men o’ War, Europe’s most dreaded jellyfish.
Marine Discovery Penzance in Cornwall has made what is thought to be the first sunfish sighting of this summer
Marine Discovery Penzance, which operates sight-seeing boat trips along the coast from Port Isaac, has made what is thought to be the first sunfish sighting of this summer.
A company spokesman said: ‘We have seen mola mola, also known as ocean sunfish, the last three trips we have been on.
‘These large nearly circular fish start appearing in our waters by the end of May every year, though first sightings have been getting a touch earlier the last few years.
‘Despite the recent cold temperatures and pouring rain, we have seen them right at the surface. We’ve had strong southerly winds in the last week, which has brought up some warmer water from Biscay.’
The giant but harmless ocean sunfish – which grow to 10ft long and 14ft deep and can weigh two tons – have been seen in Cornwall
