HUNDREDS of people have flocked to the seaside today as England enjoys a "mini heatwave".

Residents and visitors alike set up parasols on Brighton beach and went for a dip in the sea as temperatures in the city hit a scorching 27C.

Pictures taken from the seafront today reveal the scale of the crowds that gathered at the beach, despite the end of the summer holidays last week.

Some splashed on the sunscreen and soaked up the rays, while others took to the water on paddleboards or jumped from one of the sea walls.

One woman was also spotted roller-skating down the promenade.

The crowded scenes come amid a "mini heatwave" for much of the country - with extremely warm temperatures and lots of sunshine.

According to the Met Office, the warm weather is expected to last until the latter half of the week, when showers and potentially downpours and stormy weather could hit Sussex and the south coast.

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