The heatwave is set to continue well into next week in parts of Britain


 Following a weekend of RECORD-BREAKING TEMPERATURES. The mercury peaked at 30C (86F) in parts of the country yesterday, making it not only the hottest day recorded in October, but the third hottest of 2011. And the unseasonably warm weather will carry on until Tuesday in the South East, forecasters said, when the highest temperature will be a cooler 20C (68F). Yesterday's scorching weather saw the UK top temperatures in the holiday hotspot islands of Ibiza and Majorca and the Spanish capital Madrid. Madrid was at 26C (78.8F) and s Ibiza and Majorca were both reading 27C (80.6F) at 3pm. Yorkshire recorded a sweltering 30C (86F) at 3pm. The previous October record of 29.4C (85F) was set in March, Cambridgeshire in 1985.
Wales also broke its October record, which had stood since 1985, when Hawarden reached 28.2C (80.6F) shortly after 2pm. The UK's hottest day of 2011 was June 27 when a temperature of 33.3C (91.9F) was recorded at the Olympic Park in London. The previous day, St Helier on the island of Jersey reached 30.8C (87.4F) - leaving Sunday's high of 30C in third place.
Meanwhile, CONFUSED PLANTS ARE FLOWERING AGAIN due to the unseasonably warm weather, according to experts. The Royal Horticultural Society said strawberries and rhododendrons were among the plants seen blooming at its flagship garden in Surrey when they WERE NOT EXPECTED TO FLOWER AGAIN UNTIL NEXT SPRING.