THOUSANDS of people flocked to the city as the temperature soared to 24C, amid the warmest day of the year so far.

Swarms of visitors made their way to Brighton seafront this Bank Holiday Monday, with pubs and restaurants packed with guests.

Those eager to enjoy the sunshine found a rare spot on the pebbled beach, with many braving the sea to cool off from the roasting temperatures.

Hundreds of people opted for beer gardens instead, with live music and DJ sets at some venues.

The surge of guests meant traffic was brought to a standstill in the city centre, with motorists queuing to access car parks, creating a bottleneck from the Lewes Road to the A259.

The warm spell was a record for the year so far, after 24.6C was recorded in Kinloss in Scotland, according to the Met Office.

This has surpassed the previous high for 2021, which was set on March 30 at Kew Gardens in south-west London when the temperature hit 24.5C.

It comes hot on the heels of two days of glorious weather over the long weekend, which sent Britons flocking to parks and beaches across the country.

However, the record temperatures aren't set to last, as Becky Mitchell, a meteorologist from the Met Office, warned there could be some thunderstorms on the way.

She said: "There will potentially be some thunderstorms by midweek, the first bout of showers will come into parts of the South West and there will be a few thunderstorms in that.

“There’s a chance of some thundery breaking down in the south east and we could have some quite intense storms there.

"There’s still a lot of uncertainty but with the warm and humid weather we are having we have the key ingredients for thunder storms.”

The storms in the South West are expected to hit on Wednesday, with the South East due a bit of a soaking by Friday.

The heatwave comes just weeks before the final stage of the government's roadmap when restrictions ease for the final time on June 21.

Nightclubs are due to reopen and restrictions on large events such as festivals are to be lifted, as are restrictions on the number of people at weddings.

The work from home message is also expected to be lifted in an effort to bring commuter trade back to city centres.

The government website explains: "As the country moves through each of these phases in the roadmap, we must all remember that Covid-19 remains a part of our lives.

"We public are going to have to keep living our lives differently to keep ourselves and others safe. We must carry on with ‘hands, face, space’. Comply with the Coid-Secure measures that remain in place.

“Meet outdoors when we can and keep letting fresh air in. Get tested when needed. Get vaccinated when offered. If we all continue to play our part, we will be that bit closer to a future that is more familiar."