Prepare for hottest June on record - forecasters

Rain and gales will be replaced by blazing sunshine with the mercury expected to hit 28C (82F) this weekend, rivalling resorts in the Mediterranean.

Bookmakers Coral say that with the fine weather expected to last all month “we think it could be the hottest in British history”.

Coral has cut the odds on Britain having the hottest June since records began in 1910 to 3-1 from 5-1 amid predictions a heatwave will sweep the nation.

And they have given odds of 10-1 that the UK mainland temperature exceeds 100F (37.8C) while it’s 12-1 that the UK record temperature high of 38.5C (101.3F) is broken.

And there is good news for tennis fans as Coral is giving odds of 6-1 that Wimbledon will be entirely rain-free this year.

Ladbrokes has also slashed odds of June being the hottest on record from 20-1 to 6-1, while they have cut the odds for it being the hottest summer on record from 2-1 to 6-4.

As it stands the hottest June on record was in 1976, when the mercury soared to 35.6 (96F) in Southampton.

The 1976 heatwave went down in history as one of the driest, sunniest and warmest summers on record, plunging the country into a severe drought.

A hosepipe ban was imposed as emergency measures to conserve water were introduced – while a bumper sticker telling people to “Save Water, Bath With A Friend” did the rounds.

Met Office forecaster Marco Petagna said: “It is a real contrast in weather from the early part to the end of the week.”

The week will start wet and windy but the weather will warm during the week.

“Certainly it is good weather for getting out and about,” she said.