Parts of South East see hottest day of year so far

Parts of south-east England have seen their hottest day of the year so far.

The hottest temperature of the year in the UK so far was recorded at Wisley in Surrey at 26.7C (80F) on Wednesday afternoon.

The thermostat reached 25.7C at Wiggonholt in West Sussex and 24.9C at Frittenden in Kent.

Areas of Kent, Surrey and East and West Sussex could see the "hottest first day of May on record", according to BBC South East weather presenter Nina Ridge.

She said: "Some places in the South East could see highs of 27C on Thursday."

Coastal areas will be fresher due to the breeze off the sea.

With temperatures soaring, the RNLI is reminding people taking to the South East's beaches to follow simple safety guidelines.

• Choose a lifeguarded beach where possible
• Swim between the red and yellow flag
• If you see someone in trouble call 999 and ask for the coastguard

Steve Hopson, RNLI crew member at Newhaven, said: "The Sussex coast is a beautiful place to be and brings lot of people to the beaches.

"We want people to be aware of the coastline and aware of the water temperature."

South East Water said water levels in all its reservoirs and underground aquifers were "in a healthy position".

Nick Price, head of water resources, said: "The warmer weather we've experienced has seen demand for water increase which we are monitoring very closely.

"We would also encourage customers to think about when they do water-intensive tasks, like jet washing or filling hot tubs and paddling pools."

Crowds have been flocking to seafront locations across Kent and Sussex.

James Van Dyke, general manager of the No. 42 hotel on the seafront in Margate said: "Things have been really good comparing them to spring of last year where there was quite a bit of rain in April.

"This year's sun has brought us a lot of revenue, especially over the Easter weekend."

Kent Fire & Rescue Service warned about the dangers of wildfires.

A spokesperson said: "Wildfires often happen after lengthy periods of dry weather and can spread rapidly, causing devastating damage to property, wildlife, and natural landscapes.

"Unfortunately, most wildfires are started start by human activity - whether it's a barbecue, discarded cigarettes, bonfires or even arson."

Temperatures are expected to start cooling down on Friday in advance of the forthcoming May Bank Holiday weekend.

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