Britons hit the beaches and parks to bask on WARMEST day of the year so far as mercury hits 77F - and tomorrow is set to be even HOTTER

Britain is lapping in Bank Holiday sunshine again for the second day in a row as the country is treated to an ice-cream-melting Easter weekend. The Met Office has said the weather is here to stay, with temperatures expected to reach into the 20s every day of the weekend. The mercury peaked at 24.1C (75F) at Hearne airfield near Bournemouth yesterday - making it the hottest day of the year so far but temperatures could soar to 26 (79F) before the weekend is out. The UK is outshining many other countries across the continent, including Spain, Portugal and Italy. Pictured: A bikini-clad Londoner laps up the sun in Hyde Park (top); Sunbathers topping up their tan on Boscombe Beach at Bournemouth in Dorset (bottom left); Thousands of visitors take to the beach in Brighton and Hove (bottom centre); A mother and son take their dog on a punt down the river in Cambridge (bottom right).