As children head back to school this week you might expect autumnal weather to set in.

But the summer heatwave is set to continue with top temperatures predicted to reach 28C tomorrow.

Brighton may be slightly cooler but the Met Office said coastal areas could still expect temperatures to reach at least the mid-twenties on Wednesday before the mercury hits highs of 26C to 27C tomorrow.

However sun worshippers should soak up the rays while they can as the weather is set to change by the weekend.

Alexander Burkill, of the Met Office, said: “Temperatures are going to be very warm over the next couple of days.

“It’s going to creep up to 24C or 25C today. Tomorrow the chances are we could see it getting to 27C or 28C in a few places in Sussex.

“By the coast it will probably be 26C to 27C.

“On late Thursday/Friday a new weather front will come across from the north bringing rain and cooler conditions.

“Friday’s maximum temperatures will be in the high teens and struggle to reach 20C.”

Figures from the Met Office last week confirmed that this summer has been the driest Sussex has seen since 1995.

The average temperature for Sussex for June, July and August was 17.5C compared to an average UK temperature of 15.2C.

There has also been significantly less rainfall with just 37.2mm falling across the county.

But despite the majority of schools and colleges being back in the classrooms already, Adam Chinery is confident the sunny weather will spell success for seafront traders.

Mr Chinery, who runs Brighton Watersports in King’s Road, said: “I think for our location from London we get natural tourist movement down to the coast.

“So although it’s not as good as during the school holidays – and we have been blessed with very good weather over the school holidays – any sunshine is good news.

“We’ll take no money if it rains but we’ll still take some money if it’s sunny. It’s always going to be better than a cloudy, rainy day.”