Summer's here early! Hottest day of the year as mercury hits 23C... and it will be a sizzler this weekend - 6th Apr 2011

Temperatures hotter than the Mediterranean

Millions of people packed into parks and beaches today to enjoy the hottest day of the year so far as temperatures reached almost 23C - and are set to continue over the weekend.

Record temperatures soared to 22.9C (73F) in Gravesend, Kent - hotter than parts of the Mediterranean including Malta, Athens and Barcelona.

The sizzling weather will continue over the weekend with thousands of Britons set to head for the coast to soak up the heat and up to 70,000 are expected at Aintree for the Grand National.

Britons will experience temperatures that are usually seen in the throngs of summer, at tournaments like Wimbledon.

Temperatures at this time of the year usually struggle to get above 12C (54F) and are accompanied by April showers.

But after the driest March on record for more than 100 years, this month looks set to continue the trend with soaring temperatures. Read More

Note: The same is happening in other European Countries, France, Nederland and Belgium also saw temperatures of 23C