Visitors flock to coast as temperatures top 27 Celsius

Tourism businesses in north Norfolk welcomed soaring temperatures - and an influx of visitors - at the weekend.

East Anglia was competing with London for the warmest weather, with highs peaking in the high 20s.

The fine weather certainly drew out the crowds, with coastal resorts seeing the first shoots of the summer boom.

Caroline Wickham, reception and reservations manager for Blue Sky Leisure which runs holiday parks at Kelling Heath, by Weybourne, and Woodhill, by East Runton, said: 'Over the last week we've seen people making last minute getaways to take advantage of the weather.

'One of the attractions has been the local beaches and our parks are close to the coast.'

Ice-cream shop owner Martin Jackson, who runs Ellie's in Sheringham, said: 'The weather has been wonderful and brought everyone out.

'The High Street has benefitted greatly – we've got a town heaving with people, which is something we don't see very often at this time of year, especially just after the Bank Holiday weekend when it would normally not be quite so busy.

'We've had queues for ice-cream all day with the fruit flavours are proving particularly refreshing. The temperature has been around 18 and 19 degrees (Celsius).'