Britain bakes: Brits take a dip in the sea and sunbathe in parks as heatwave grips the UK - with temperatures set to eclipse hottest day of the year so far

Brits have flocked to beaches and parks across the UK today to soak up the summer sun — as temperatures are set to eclipse the hottest day of the year so far.

The sizzling conditions mean families up and down the country have been scrambling to find a spot on the beach and queuing up for the ice cream van. 

Pictures show sunbathers in St James' Park, London, relaxing during the mini-heatwave, while beachgoers in East Sussex cool off by taking a dip in the sea.

Temperatures are expected to reach 30C in the south-east — particularly London and the home counties— as high pressure swoops in.

It comes after a disappointing start to July, where the wet and chilly start has barely materialised into the Great British summer many had pinned their hopes on.  

David Hayter, Deputy Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office said: 'As we go through the weekend, the jet stream will weaken to the west of the UK generating an area of high pressure that will slowly move in across the UK. 

'High pressure means the air is sinking from higher in the atmosphere and that brings drier, settled and sunnier weather.

'Temperatures will rise too, becoming widely above average. We could see maxima of 27°C in the south and 25°C in the northeast by Sunday. 

'There's a bit more in the way of patchy cloud in Northern Ireland, south and west Scotland and the northern isles, so temperatures will be lower there.'

Yesterday, Her Majesty Queen Camilla was spotted at Ascot Racecourse, wearing a hat and summer dress.

Hundreds of people packed out Weymouth Beach as they enjoyed family BBQs, a swim in the sea and rides at the funfair. 

The good weather will continue into next week, with the Met Office predicting highs of 29C on Monday.

The hotter spells are thanks to an Iberian plume which is pushing a warm weather front from Europe, where temperatures have been as high as 40C this summer.

The south-eastern areas of the country will experience the hottest weather, but most regions are expected to reap the benefits of the high pressure front.

Looking ahead, Britons can expect a much drier August with the Met Office predicting a 'warmer than average' period from August 7 to August 21.

London and the surrounding areas could see temperatures as high as 31C (89) on August 8.