'First hints of summer' as annual charity raft race takes place in Portrush

​As dozens of intrepid sailors launched into the tide from West Strand Beach on Saturday, the Met Office was preparing to declare it the UK’s hottest day of the year so far.

Forecaster Simon Partridge said the UK was seeing “hints of summer” as temperatures reached as high as 24.3C in parts of West Yorkshire.

In Portrush, hundreds of people gathered to cheer on the participants at what has grown to be the UK and Ireland’s largest event of its kind.

Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the raft race – from the beach to the harbour’s lifeboat mooring point – has once again raised vital funds to support the work of RNLI Portrush.

The fine weather on Saturday and Sunday across NI is expected to continue into Monday with plenty of sunshine and a maximum temperature of 20C. However, the forecasters say there will be “onshore breezes keeping coastal districts somewhat cooler”.

Looking ahead ot the rest of the week, the Met Office said Tuesday to Thursday should be “dry and settled with a good deal of sunshine,” and “warm in many places, locally very warm across the southwest”.

In GB, temperatures are expected to reach up to 23C on parts of the south coast on Monday, with cooler weather in the north and a bit more cloud cover.

Simon Partridge of the Met Office said the “hints of summer” were now evident, and added: “For a bank holiday weekend it’s pretty rare to be that dry and sunny, I guess, so we’re not doing too bad”.People are being advised to take care if they plan to cool off by swimming in rivers or lakes.

Fire and rescue services have issued reminders about hazards – including strong currents, water quality, uneven riverbanks and tomb-stoning without knowing the water depth or location of underwater objects.

One spokesman said: “The idea of swimming in a river or lake will be appealing to many people during this current spell of warm weather.

"Around 85% of accidental drownings occur at open water sites, and many of these drownings occur due to a lack of understanding of the hazards posed by open water”