Britain hotter than Cyprus as temperatures soar

BRITAIN on Thursday was warmer than popular holiday hotspots including the Costa Del Sol, parts of Cyprus and Greece as the mercury reached 27C - making it the hottest day of the year so far.

The UK is now warmer than traditional travel destinations like Limassol, Paphos and Ayia Napa, Athens, Antalya in Turkey, Malaga in Spain and Nice in the south of France.

But the UK was not hotter than Nicosia or Larnaca on Thursday as these places enjoyed maximum temperatures of 28C

Millions of Britons have enjoyed scorching sunshine with temperatures of 25C - more than 10C higher than the UK average for the time of year.

Parts of south-east England were hotter than the Bahamas on Wednesday.

Forecaster Oli Claydon told the Daily Express: “For most parts of the UK it is going to be a dry, bright day from the outset.

“At the beginning of the week we saw an area of very low pressure over the west coast and we have also seen a large area of high pressure over Western Europe which is bringing the stable conditions and resulting in clear blue skies without much wind.

“Those two systems are drawing warm air from the south-west, so places like the Azures, Portugal and Spain.”

The Met Office said the warm weather is here to stay for several days yet, with highs of 25C (77F) forecast in south-east England but in Cyprus, the weather outlook is less stable.

Bookmakers revealed punters were tipping 2018 to be the hottest year on record.