The bank holiday weekend got off to a roaring start as Saturday was the hottest day of the year so far, the Met Office has confirmed.

Highs of 24.3°C were recorded in Bramham, West Yorkshire.

Today is also set to be warm, though not quite as warm as yesterday, and temperatures are expected to reach up to 23°C in Plymouth.

However it’ll be cooler heading north, with larger cloudy spells than yesterday.

Forecaster Simon Partridge said the UK is seeing ‘hints of summer’, adding: ‘For a bank holiday weekend it’s pretty rare to be that dry and sunny, I guess, so we’re not doing too bad.’

But for those considering taking a dip in a river or lake to cool off, emergency services are warning people to take care.

There have been a number of tragic deaths in rivers in recent days, with one boy dying in the River Eden in Carlisle on Friday and two teenagers dying at a nature reserve in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Hazards include strong currents, water quality, uneven riverbanks, and tomb-stoning without knowing how deep the water is or whether there are any objects hidden underwater.

A spokesman for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: ‘The idea of swimming in a river or lake will be appealing to many people during this current spell of warm weather.

‘Around 85% of accidental drownings occur at open water sites, and many of these drownings occur due to a lack of knowledge and understanding of the hazards posed by open water.

‘Whilst the benefits of open water swimming are well documented, we feel it’s important to remind potential swimmers of the hazards posed by swimming in open water.’

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