UK weather: Sunshine and 24C temperatures heading to Britain after wintry spell

High pressure is building across the UK and bringing 'pretty decent' weather

Temperatures are expected to lift towards the end of the week, with the south moving from 13 C up to the early 20s (Rex Features)

Sunshine and warmer temperatures are set to drive the chillier weather from the UK in the coming week.

Warmer winds moving up from continental Europe will hoist the thermometer up to the early 20s in the south of the country while the sun will shine across most parts of Britain.

London can expect tempratures as high as 24C on Friday - hotter than Ibiza - as high pressure fronts moving across the islands, according to the Met Office.

"As you look ahead the reason things will be settling is high pressure is building across most of the UK, which at this time of year brings pretty decent weather and temperatures," a Met Office spokesperson told The Independent.

"From Wednesday to Friday the high pressure will be firmly in control with most areas seeing a dry week with sunny spells."

Rain at Clifton Downs in Bristol on Saturday 30 April over the May Bank holiday weekend (Press Association)

Temperatures for May 3 and 4 will hover around 14C to 16C in the south and about 12C to 14C in the north, continuing to then climb throughout the week.

The good news follows a relatively unstable May bank holiday weekend.

A band of rain pushed its way from the north-west to the south-east over the weekend, with heavy showers reaching London by the evening of May bank holiday Monday.

Snow even fell on higher areas in Derbyshire. While the sun is forecast for most of the country in the week ahead, there will still be rain in western parts of Scotland.