Sultry heat marks start of summer

Balmy weather marked the arrival of summer yesterday with forecasters predicting the heat wave was here to stay, for the weekend at least.

The South-east had the hottest weather, with temperatures hitting 28C (82F). In Cardiff, Blackpool and Dublin it was 25C - six degrees higher than the average for the end of May, and hotter than Tenerife.

But the North and southern Scotland had thunderstorms, which were expected to spread east on Sunday. A Met Office spokeswoman said the humid weather would last through much of Sunday but by Monday fresher air would move in.