Bideford Hotter Than Bilbao

The early autumn heatwave is due to continue this week after soaring

temperatures over the weekend saw packed-out beaches and beauty spots

across the Westcountry.

Scorching seasonal highs were recorded in Devon on Saturday, with

the mercury peaking at close to 27C (80F) at Yelverton, on Dartmoor,

followed closely by Plymouth at 25C (77F).

Cornwall was cooler but beachgoers were still able to bask in temperatures of 22C (72F) in popular resorts such as Newquay.

Forecasters have predicted the unseasonably warm weather to continue until tomorrow(TUES) in the South West, though the highest temperature will be in the cooler low-to-mid-20s.

Craig Snell, forecaster at the Exeter-based Met Office, said sea mists around the coast and colder nights, such as in Exeter with 24C by day and 6C at night, had deprived the region of the headline-grabbing highs recorded in the South East.

However, he predicted the balmy weather would carry on for two or three days before turning autumnal towards the end of the week.

"We can see temperatures remaining around the 23C or 25C mark and Monday and Tuesday are not looking too bad, into the 20s," he added.

"Tuesday will see a fairly cloudy start but with the sun breaking through later, and Wednesday and Thursday will feel a bit chillier and more autumnal throughout the rest of the week."

The surprise weather was a welcome boost for the region's tourism industry after parts of August were washed out.

Malcolm Bell, head of Visit Cornwall, an offshoot of the county council's development company, said a "glorious five days would not make up for August", but had sparked a surge in day visitors, which account for almost a third of all trips.

"These are quite popular months anyway with empty-nesters and people with young children" Mr Bell added.

"However, the big difference is the 1.5 million people in the region who have been out out and about, visiting friends and relatives.

"The businesses which were suffering in August won't go close to replacing their losses but have got an unexpected late bonus."

Yesterday's scorching weather saw the UK top temperatures beating holiday hotspot islands of Ibiza and Majorca and the Spanish capital, Madrid.

The UK pipped Madrid at 26C (78.8F) as well as Ibiza and Majorca which were both reading 27C (80.6F) at 3pm.

RAF Finningley in Yorkshire recorded a sweltering 30C (86F) at 3pm on Saturday, according to forecasters MeteoGroup. Gravesend in Kent was not far behind – reaching 29.6C (85.3F) and the town was yesterday competing with parts of Norfolk for the hottest place in the country.

However, not everybody in Britain shared in the heatwave with rain falling on parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland. And despite the warm weather in the Westcountry, the Isles of Scilly struggled to reach 18C (64C).