Why we should expect today to be a weather record in the West Midlands as the sun shines

The warm spell will continue until the end of the week, with the weekend remaining bright but a little cooler.

Temperatures were expected to reach 27C (81F) in the region both today and Wednesday, with long spells of unbroken sunshine.

It is a welcome change for many following a cold start to the summer, but others are struggling as hay fever levels remain very high.

Elsewhere, the Met Office said central London could see a peak of 31C (88F) this week.

Early forecasts are also looking positive for those attending Glastonbury Festival, with largely sunny spells from Wednesday to Sunday and temperatures averaging the low 20s by the end of the week.

It is also good news for big events in the West Midlands this weekend, including the Shrewsbury Food Festival, which attracts tens of thousands to the town from across the region.

It marks a break from the rainy spring, which saw 32 per cent more rainfall than the average in the West Midlands, according to the Met Office, and hampered businesses reliant on tourism or high street foot traffic.

Oli Claydon, a Met Office spokesman, said "it won't be sunshine for everyone" but will still be warm even where there is cloud cover during the week.

"The West Midlands will enjoy long spells of sunshine. We might see the occasional shower in parts of Northern Ireland and Scotland, where there will be a little bit of cloud through Tuesday, but otherwise clearer skies in the South East and that's where we're going to see the highest temperatures," he added.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) issued a safety warning on Monday reminding people from the West Midlands heading to coastal areas to take precautions. Thousands are expected to enjoy traditional =ly popular resors such as Barmouth and Weston-super-Mare.

Sam Hughes, water safety education manager at the RNLI, said: "We are expecting the coast to be extremely busy with this burst of warm weather.

"We want everyone to enjoy being around the water but we also want to make sure people stay safe and know what to do in an emergency.

"Always visit a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags. If you get into trouble in the water, Float to Live: tilt your head back with ears submerged and try to relax and control your breathing.

"Use your hands to help you stay afloat and then, once you are through the initial shock, call for help to or swim to safety if you can. In an emergency call 999 and ask for the coastguard."

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued yellow heat health alerts for the West Midlands, warning the warm conditions could pose a risk to vulnerable individuals.

The heatwave threshold is met when a location records at least three consecutive days with maximum temperatures exceeding a designated value, according to the Met Office.

This is 25C for most of the UK, but rises to 28C in London and its surrounding area, where temperatures are typically higher.

However, the heat is only expected to last until Wednesday, with temperatures returning to around 20C (68F) over the weekend.

Mr Claydon said: "It'll actually be quite pleasant, although temperatures will still be a little cooler and closer to average, the weather will still be fine and there will be a lot of dry weather around."