Sun-seekers take photos perilously close to cliff edge as they enjoy 73F temperatures

Sunseekers flocked to beaches across the country today as temperatures soared to 23C over the glorious Bank Holiday Sunday.

People from all over the UK travelled to coastal towns across England, from Cornwall to Brighton, in hope of catching some rays and taking a dip in the sea.

Hundreds crowded onto beaches across Dorset, with Bournemouth beach being packed with umbrella-wielding beachgoers lapping up the hottest day of the year so far.

Tourists at Birling Gap, near Beachy Head, East Sussex, were spotted leaning precariously close to the crumbling chalk cliff edge as they looked out onto the blue waters and clear sky.

It comes as two men tragically died in off the coast of Devon yesterday as the country saw the hottest day of the year so far, with four others losing their lives after getting into trouble in open water over the past few days. 

Sunseekers have flocked to coastal towns across England, from Cornwall to Brighton, hoping to catch some rays and have a swim in the sea.

As Brighton and Hove enjoyed highs of 71F, or 20C, holidaymakers flocked to the popular resort to let their hair down.

Among them were a group of ladies made the most of the warm weather as they took their hen do to the beach.

Kerri, from Scotland, was seen celebrating the incredible weather as well as an upcoming wedding as she partied with fellow hens at the beach.

Other beachgoers were seen sipping on prosecco and pints as they stripped off to bask in the sun and catch some rays. 

The seafront was also dotted with holidaymakers ready to fend off the sun, with tents and umbrellas dotting the sand.

Many had come to escape the city on the hot day, with Tom and Pam, from London, hauling their camping chairs to Brighton beach to relax with a drink. 

Others donned swimming trunks and bikinis, ready to take the plunge in the icy waters as they desperately tried to cool off.

Jet-skiers were even spotted off Brighton beach, showing off their skills to the crowds lining the shores.

Others took to the water on more slow-moving vessels, including paddle boards and pedalos seen on the River Avon in Warwick. 

Car parks were definitely filling up at beaches across the south coast today as people flocked to the beach. 

But one tourist, who clearly wanted to avoid paying for parking on their trip to the seaside, will have undoubtedly had a nasty shock when their car took a dip off the Cornish coast.

Pictures show a convertible BMW washed out to sea after parking on the beach with the coastguard joking: ‘You can’t park there!’

The vehicle believed to be a E93 soft top was filmed off Trevaunance Beach, Cornwall, this morning.

St Agnes Coastguard Search & Rescue Team said they were called to the beauty spot at around 8.30am, where they first made sure there was no one in the car.

Their teams then remained on scene whilst recovery efforts took place, before the saloon car was finally removed from the beach by a tow truck.

Social media users were quick to poke fun at the BMW owner’s woes after the footage was shared hundreds of times on Facebook.

One joked: ‘The lengths some people will go to to avoid the £3 car park fee!’

Another added: ‘Did someone forget to tell the tide that BMWs can park anywhere they want?’

A spokesperson from St Agnes Coastguard Search & Rescue said: ‘Team tasked to the Trevaunance Beach car wash to make sure all occupants were out of the vehicle and safe.

‘We remained on scene whilst recovery efforts were made and the vehicle was finally removed. Team stood down and returned to station at 10.19’.

They added: ‘You can’t park there sir!’

Bereft of beaches, Londoners took to the capital’s parks on the glorious sunny day.

Most opted for shorts, skirts sunglasses and hats as summer appeared to have come early.

Picnic blankets were spread out by sunbathers, who enjoyed the lush green surroundings of Richmond Park in south west London.

Friends Rebecca Lowe 26, Erika Mantra 26, Emily Severn, 24 and Hazel McClelland, 24, dined al fresco on the grass in sunny Richmond Park.

Revellers were pictured toasting the good weather with bottles of prosecco included in picnic spreads. 

Dog walkers around the country had to set out early to avoid the beating sun as the day went on.

Among them was a couple pictured with their pooch in the bright morning sunshine on Wimbledon Common.

Pets lucky enough to go to the seaside were able to cool themselves down in the ocean air.

A couple of sunbathers were seen beaming as their pup happily ran across the beach in Brighton. 

Scores of people were also pictured basking in the sun in Southsea, Hants this morning. 

Beth Sweetman and Eve Rogers were enjoying the heatwave as they walked along the seafront, soaking up the rays with ice creams in hand. 

Met Office forecaster Dan Stroud told The Mail on Sunday: ‘For a change we’re having a very decent spell of weather on a bank holiday weekend.

‘Summer is coming. Temperatures will climb again over the next few days, probably exceeding 25C (77F) by the end of the week.’ Meanwhile, it was cloudy in Spain’s famous Costa del Sol, which managed highs of only 22C (71F).

Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge added that the high temperatures for the bank holiday weekend were a rarity.

‘We’re slowly getting there. Hints of summer,’ Mr Partridge said. ‘For a bank holiday weekend it’s pretty rare to be that dry and sunny I guess, so we’re not doing too bad.’

Rain is unlikely to trouble the UK over the next few days, with Met Office deputy chief forecaster Steven Keates saying indications are that the dry, bright weather is likely to continue for most – with little in the way of rain throughout next week.

While people will be wanting to kick back and enjoy Britain’s coastal beauty spots during the warm spell, they are reminded that open water can pose a danger.

Two young men whose lives were claimed off the Devon coast are among a number of drowning victims this Bank Holiday, as sunseekers have flocked to Britain’s beaches and rivers amid unseasonably warm weather.

The two men in their 20s died after being rescued from the water off Oddicombe, Torbay, yesterday morning, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

The Coastguard and police rushed to the scene at around 9am and pulled the men from the water, with one tragically declared dead at the scene while the other man died in hospital.

It comes after a 15-year-old also drowned in Carlisle yesterday. The teenager, who was among a group of young people spotted struggling in the waters of the River Eden, has been formally identified as Lewis Michael Kirkpatrick.

Earlier this week, the RNLI urged people to take care as they enjoy the Bank Holiday sunshine, with beaches filling up for the hottest day of the year yesterday and temperatures expected to reach a glorious 73F in some parts today.

The RNLI said there were 226 deaths in the UK from accidental drownings in 2022, across inland and coastal locations, 40 per cent of whom had no intention of entering the water. 

They encouraged people to remember to ‘Float to Live’ if they get into trouble in the water, with research by the University of Portsmouth showing that tilting your head back to submerge the ears is key to staying afloat.