Ideal summer day is 22C, according to poll

Britons say 26C is tipping point when normal activities become to hard to complete

When the temperature hits 26C Britons consider it too hot to cuddle, blow-dry their hair or even wear clothes, according to a poll.

The survey of 2,000 adults saw driving, cleaning the house and doing DIY also feature in the top 20 list of things they avoided doing when the mercury rises.

It also emerged the “perfect” temperature on a British summer’s day was 22 degrees, while anything below 15 degrees was considered too cold.

But one-quarter admitted that while they longed for tropical temperatures, they usually moaned when they come around. It emerged men are slightly happier with the heat (55 per cent) than women (47 per cent).

However, when they were abroad, 30 per cent wanted it to be at least 26 degrees, with 38 per cent going on holiday to another country purely for the heat.

It comes as Britain swelters in “lethal heat”, with temperatures of 35 degrees expected into the weekend during the summer’s second heatwave.

Gemma Morgan, from Volvic, which commissioned the poll, said: “Brits have a love-hate relationship with the weather, and summer is no exception.”

While 48 per cent of respondents thought it was typically British to moan about the temperature – whether hot or cold – 24 per cent argued we should cherish the rare spells of heat.

And 45 per cent made the most of warm temperatures by spending time in green spaces, and 31 per cent disliked being stuck inside.

More than half (55 per cent) had even turned down or cancelled social plans because it was too hot.

Two-fifths said they typically stayed indoors out of choice when it’s hot in the UK.

Nearly one in five (19 per cent) thought it was difficult to enjoy hot weather because they still had to work, and so were not able to sunbathe.