A bank holiday weekend of glorious sunshine has seen people flock to parks and beaches but temperatures in Norfolk have not reached the hottest day of the year so far.

Balmy Bank Holiday Monday conditions proved to be the warmest day of 2021 for some parts of the UK but cooler coastal conditions in the region meant temperatures in Norfolk fell just short of March 31.

Norwich-based Weatherquest said 23.9C was recorded at Weybourne on March 31, but the highest places recorded this Bank Holiday Monday were 22C at Marham and 21.4C at Houghton Hall.

Meteorologist Fred Best said temperatures on the north Norfolk coast at Weybourne and Cromer cooler had been around 16C.

Temperatures are expected to climb in the early part of this week before cooler, fresher air moves in.

“Tomorrow might be a degree or so warmer but we are still looking at highs of 22C or 23C in the west of the region. It might push 25C but that will be more towards Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire,” said Mr Best.

“It is going to stay generally mild for the rest of the week. There might be a few showers around once we get through towards the end of Wednesday then from Thursday through to the weekend some heavy thundery showers around in places.

“But temperatures are going to stay roughly where they are, perhaps coming a little cooler by the weekend into next week.”

Elsewhere 24.6C was recorded in Kinloss in Scotland on Monday, according to the Met Office.

This surpassed the previous high for 2021, set on March 30 at Kew Gardens in south-west London, when the temperature reached 24.5C.