Sunshine and warm weather due to continue this week as UK experiences the hottest April in a decade

This afternoon (DEL WEDS) will see temperatures up to 20C although it will still be breezy.

It will remain dry and sunny until the weekend.

The Met Office forecasts: "Sunshine turning hazy from Thursday, but winds turning calm. Very warm days and mild nights. Largely dry throughout, although there is a risk of the odd shower on Saturday."

However, the region should miss out on the sweltering temperatures expected to hit the UK at the end of the week as the hottest April in almost a decade is set to continue.

In London, temperatures could reach as high as 24C (75.2F) as parts of the UK become hotter than Lanzarote and Corfu.

But many of the UK's beaches and open spaces will be largely empty as Britons are urged to stay at home during the coronavirus lockdown.

Forecasters said the expected heatwave is due to a large area of high pressure to the north of England making the days clear and bright. A weather map showed the giant zone stretching from Scandinavia to Ireland.

Most of the country will bask in the sunshine on both days, with temperatures reaching up to 23C (73.4F) in Wales and south-west England, 18C (64.4F) in Scotland and 19C (66.2F) in Northern Ireland.

This would be well above the average high of 12C (53.6F) in April for the UK and the hottest the UK has been in this month since 2011.

Bookmaker Ladbrokes has cut odds to 4/5 on this week beating the hottest day of the year so far when 26C (79F) was recorded in Treknow, Cornwall, on April 10.

Met Office forecaster Greg Dewhurst said: "There will be a bit of fog to start the day on Thursday, but that will clear up pretty quickly and there will be bright, warm sunshine across the whole UK. This will be the same for Friday, which could be hotter in some areas.

"This is because of a large area of high pressure that is hanging north of the UK. It also helps that there has been consecutive days of clear, hot days that have kept it going."