Sun, sand, blue skies and an all-over tan as summer arrives in (parts of) Britain

Britain may have endured the coldest spring for half a century, but that was all consigned to history on Sunday as much of the country bathed in blue skies and balmy weather.

London, the South-east and East Anglia are expected to benefit from more warm weather on Monday with forecasted temperatures as high as 22C in some areas. Even cautious forecasters applauded the change of temperatures with Mark Seltzer of the Met Office announcing: “After months of cold weather, it is going to actually feel like summer.”

That was certainly the case in Wales, where dozens of people braved a breeze to take to the waters in Oxwich Bay on the Gower coast. The annual skinny dip – which saw contenders strip off and walk into the sea – was in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care. Temperatures are expected to be as high as 22C today and tomorrow, with fine weather also forecast in Yorkshire and Lancashire.

However, there will be cloudier conditions in Northern Ireland and western Scotland. Wednesday is expected to be bright with sunny spells and variable amounts of cloud, but scattered showers are possible in the North. Seltzer added: “Temperatures will range from the high teens across the country over the next couple of days, but London and the South will hit 20C, maybe 21C. The farther south you are, the better the chance of sunshine.”