Summer set to be wettest ever - but Bank Holiday set for scorching sunshine

After days of leaden skies and constant downpours, rainfall for England and Wales has already reached 313mm for June, July and August.

Now with just a few days of summer left, forecasters say the dreary summer looks set to eclipse that of 1927 when a record 329mm of rainfall was recorded.

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Hundreds of families set up windbreaks on the beach at Woolacombe to make the most of the sunshine despite the stiff breeze

Although the Met Office is predicting some relief from the relentless grey skies this Bank Holiday weekend, experts say further flooding is expected to return at the end of a summer which has seen vast swathes of Britain under water.

The warning comes the Environment Agency issues three flood warnings across England and Wales.

Bikinis and sunshades are notably absent as rain and strong winds continue to lash the seaside.

In Scarborough - voted the third most popular British seaside resort - just a handful braved the miserable conditions at the beach.

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And in Kent, 10,000 French day-trippers visiting the seaside complained they wanted to go straight home because it was too cold and wet.

The charity which paid for the trip for the impoverished group- many of whom had never been on holiday- had to hand out plastic macs to protect the tourists from the elements.

But within minutes of arriving at the famous Golden Mile of Margate, many French families deserted the beach for the shopping mall, seeking refuge there until they went home later that day.

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Empty beach: Clouds keep tourists away at Cromer in Norfolk

One French day-tripper Pierre O'Lore, 34, who was with his 10-year-old son Andre, complained: "It was quite nice in France when we left - it was about 24 degrees and sunny when we left this morning, but as soon as we got to England it was just non stop rain."

But there is some good news for those planning a Bank Holiday weekend getaway. Temperatures are set to climb to 73f (23c) on Thursday as Britain at last enters a dry spell.

Friday is set to be dry and sunny for most parts, with the South and West seeing the best of the sunshine as temperatures rise to 77f (25c).

Throughout the Bank Holiday weekend, most parts of Britain will continue to enjoy bright sunshine with temperatures remaining around 73f (23c) from Saturday to Monday, with only a risk of showers in north western Scotland.