CROWDS have flocked to beaches for one last taste of summer as the mercury soars towards 30C today – making the UK hotter than Hawaii.

Sun-worshippers are making the most of the glorious September weather at resorts around the UK, with many heading for popular stretches of coastline.

Brits have baked in some of the hottest September temperatures ever seen this week during a 'Saharan spurt'.

And as it heats up to a 30C scorcher again today, many families are making the most of the day with a cooling dip in the sea.

Sandy beaches along the Dorset coast are packed with people basking on beach towels.

Thousands of people have visited the seafront at Bournemouth to bask, while further down the coast, in Swanage, surfers have taken to the water.

Many Essex locals have flocked to Leigh on Sea to sunbathe, including Eliza Simonelli, 25, who wore a red bikini as she enjoyed the sunshine.

In the sea off Brighton, friends hugged as they savoured summer's last gasp.

Wales has seen some of the best of the sunshine, with friends packing onto the beach at Barry to make the most of the day.

The hot weather comes as rules on socialising are tightened across England in a bid to halt the growing numbers of coronavirus cases.

Since Monday, it has been illegal to meet in groups of more than six people with the threat of fines for anyone found flouting the law.

The new rules apply both inside and outside, meaning that large groups in parks will be banned from meeting together in the heat.

Despite that, some of the people spotted at beaches today appeared to be in groups larger than six.

It comes as Home Secretary Priti Patel warned chatting to someone on the street would break the rules.

She said any "mingling" with a group of more than six would risk those people being slapped with a £100 fine.

But some seemed happy to risk it for the chance to make the most of the day with loved ones.

The September heat follows on from an August heatwave which saw temperatures top out at 34C for six days running.

And Met Office forecasters say there's been "wall-to-wall" sunshine.

Yesterday was the hottest September day since 2016 when temperatures peaked at 29.6C.

Today, the mercury will be highest in southern parts of the UK, but most of the country will see a spell of warmer weather, the Met Office said.

The current warm spell will be the longest in September since 2016.

But we're urged to make the most of it.

There could be highs of 27 or 28 again on Wednesday, but as we head towards the end of the week, temperatures will drop to the low 20s.

Met Office forecaster Marco Petagna said: “There’s been wall-to-wall sunshine.”

The September heat follows on from an August heatwave which saw temperatures top out at 34C for six days running last month.

Yesterday was the hottest September day since 2016, when temperatures peaked at 29.6C.

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