Parts of Britain to bask in soaring temperatures as spring sun finally arrives

Temperatures in the South West, South East and East Anglia could break hit the 20C (68F) mark on Wednesday

It has been a long time coming but spring looks finally set to arrive in parts of Britain with forecasters predicting that temperatures could reach a positively toasty 20C (68F) in some areas this week.

Britain's bitterly cold spring has already seen the coldest March since 1962 and the coldest ever Easter on record - and for some the dismal weather looks set to continue. 

Temperatures in the South West, South East and East Anglia could break hit the 20C (68F) mark on Wednesday but elsewhere the UK will experience average temperatures along with some rain.

Experts said the North-South split was down to a frontal system.  

Brendan Jones, a forecaster for MeteoGroup said: "For the south of the country the warm weather is going to hang around on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, but it's certainly fairly cool for the north of the country."

He said the mercury was set to rise to 19C or 20C (66F-68F), and possibly as high as 22C (71F) in some parts - far higher than the average of 13C or 14C (55F-57F) for late April.

In Scotland and Northern Ireland, however, it will stick to the average of between 9C and 12C (48F-53F), while in the north of England and the Midlands there could be highs of 16C (60F).

But on Friday, temperatures are likely to drop across the UK.

"It does look as if it's going to turn cold from the north everywhere," Mr Jones said.