Millions make the most of the sudden arrival of summer

So when the sun finally came out, who could blame them for covering every available inch of beach?

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Summer arrives on Brighton Beach

This was Brighton as, in scenes repeated across the country, thousands made the most of the sudden arrival of summer yesterday. It's a far cry from scenes in Germany, where holidaymakers took to the beach in a more regimented style.

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With temperatures higher than those in Lanzarote, Corfu and Gran Canaria, Britain enjoyed its hottest day of the year - although given the weather we've had recently, that might not be much of an achievement.

By 3pm, London was the hottest spot with the mercury touching 88f (31c). In Birmingham it was 82f (28c), while Manchester was slightly cooler at 77f (25c).

Perhaps inevitably, however, it won't last. Forecasters predict unsettled weather including rain for the rest of the month.

The last time it was anything like this hot was more than two months ago on June 2, when the temperature reached 81f (27c).

Yesterday's blazing sunshine saw coastal resorts packed with long queues of traffic as families rushed to make the most of the weather.

On the beach in Bournemouth - which saw around 125,000 visitors during the day - holidaymaker Fiona Kennedy, 38, said: "Britain is as good a place as any Mediterranean country when the sun is shining."

Nigel Bolton, of the Met Office, said: "It is much warmer than what we've been used to for a long time, so it feels very hot.

"We've been having a cool summer, but this isn't a heatwave. They have to last at least two days at more than 30c (87f) by day and with a warm night in between.

The Big Chill festival in Easnor near Gloucester sweltered on the hottest day of the year

"It is nice to have a change in the weather, though, and we urge people to enjoy it - but treat the sun with respect."

Mr Bolton warned that we have enjoyed the last of good weather for some time - with cold fronts approaching.

"We have had one day of high temperatures, then it is back to summer 2007 as we know it," he said. The hottest recorded day in Britain was August 11, 2003, when Faversham, in Kent, sweltered at 101f (38c).

It seems unlikely the record will be broken this year. The Met office said Britain can expect unsettled weather over the next fortnight, with showers merging into longer spells of rain, which could be heavy or thundery.

A Met spokesman added: "Temperatures will never be that impressive, with some rather cool days possible."

In the short term, the forecast for today for England and Wales is much cooler with sunny spells. There will be scattered showers in the West.

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German tourist 17-year-old Ilka Fischer digs in to keep out of the sun on the beach at Brighton

In the night, Wales and South-West England will have occasional showers but the rest of England will stay dry with clear spells.

On Tuesday it will be cloudy with an occasional shower over North-West England, sunny spells across remaining areas and showers in the far South.

Wednesday will be mainly cool with sunny intervals and isolated showers.

Thursday and Friday will see further showers in the North-West but drier and warmer conditions in the South-East.

Messing about on the River Ouse in York in the sunshine