By Julian Whittle

Last updated at 11:52, Saturday, 26 May 2012

Temperatures in Cumbria reached a sizzling 27.8C (82F) and there is plenty more fine weather to come.

Damian Johnston with daughter Ella, one

The figure was recorded at St Bees Head and at Bridgefoot, between Workington and Cockermouth, yesterday.

It is a record for May for both sites – although records go back only to 1992 for St Bees and 1997 for Bridgefoot.

The blue skies brought out sun worshippers in force across the county.

Beaches at St Bees and Silloth were busy, as were parks and open spaces such as Bitts Park in Carlisle and the cathedral grounds.

Hartleys, which has an ice-cream parlour in Egremont and a fleet of five ice-cream vans, was “extremely busy” and is braced for a bumper weekend as temperatures are forecast to remain high.

The Met Office is predicting highs of 24-25C in Workington and Whitehaven today and Sunday. It will be slightly cooler in Carlisle, 22C today and 24C tomorrow.

There should be little or no cloud and only light winds.

Parents have been urged to remind their children of the dangers associated with playing near or in water. They said people should behave sensibly and not jump off bridges or into deep areas as there may be stronger currents than expected.

The sunshine should continue on Monday, with maximum temperatures of 20C in west Cumbria and 23C in Carlisle, but it will be noticeably cooler on Tuesday with increasing cloud cover.

Those heading onto the fells this weekend can expect good visibility once early-morning mist clears from the valleys.

Even at 3,000ft, the temperature is forecast to reach as high as 15C (59F).

First published at 08:56, Saturday, 26 May 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk