Heat warning as Yorkshire set for another sizzling weekend of sun

Temperatures are on the rise with most of Britain set for another hot and sunny weekend and if conditions continue, it could be the driest summer since records began in 1961.

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Much of the country will stay dry on Thursday, with some much needed rain expected to reach Scotland by the afternoon and possible showers in eastern England, the Met Office said.

The rain will move south into northern England, Wales and the Midlands overnight, while hot conditions in the South East could trigger thunderstorms on Friday afternoon.

A Met Office yellow weather warning is in place for the region between 2pm and 11.59pm.

But with the start of the school holidays, it is time to bring out the barbecues again at the weekend, with the mercury expected to rise to up to 30C on Saturday.

Met Office meteorologist Dean Hall said: "The last heatwave ended with a temperature breakdown, but it looks as though we are going back into the heat again.

"The heat will be building into the weekend and early next week.

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"But with the increasing heat and humidity there's always a chance of one or two thunderstorms."

Mr Hall said most of the country would enjoy warm and dry conditions with the hot, sunny weather predicted to last into next week when top temperatures could reach 31C.

"It's a very warm weekend with plenty of fine, dry weather around, with the exception being a little bit of cloud in western Scotland and Northern Ireland." he continued.

"But otherwise a good deal of fine, dry weather and very warm if not hot conditions."

The latest hot spell comes after the Met Office said Britain could see a record-breaking summer if temperatures stay above average.

Conditions have been unusually dry, with the UK having just 47mm (1.85in) of rain so far, making it the driest start to summer in modern records which date back to 1961.