More 'springlike' weather to return this week

For many, an increase of wind and rain may soften the blow of the UK coronavirus lockdown - which looks set to continue.

Temperatures on Saturday peaked at 24.9 degrees in London, and remained widely into the 20s for many parts of the UK - causing many people to flock to parks.

Police in the South East reported having had to move hundreds of people on from beaches.

Sunday has seen maximum temperatures drop by around 10 degrees across the country, with a cloud front moving southwards - though some southern parts remained warm.

The Met Office added that the UK would continue to see more cloud and wind in the coming week, but "nothing significant or unusual".

Some parts of the UK can expect to see frostier mornings, but temperatures should start to rise as the summer approaches.

"Part of spring's charm is you can get both types of weather," a spokesman for the Met Office said.

"May can be quite a topsy-turvy month, getting closer to the start of summer. It's not unusual for spring to have a hot part and a colder part."

The return to duller weather comes following record-breaking April sunshine - with all four UK countries recording it among the top five sunniest since records in a series from 1929.

In the final week of the month, rainfall totals increased in many places - but the UK overall still only received 40% of average April rainfall, according to official Met Office figures.