Thousands flocked to the South Coast during the hottest days of the year.

Hordes more holidaymakers headed for Gatwick airport to fly to thunderstorm-hit southern Europe.

At the seaside yesterday, Bognor Regis hit 29C (84.2F) and Brighton 25C (77F), with Margate and Southampton at 28C.

Gravesend in Kent was the hottest place in Britain at 30C (86F), outshining southern Greece and Sicily where temperatures reached 28C (82.4F) during heavy thunderstorms.

A weather centre spokesman said yesterday was officially the hottest day of the year but it could be even hotter today.

"It will certainly be close. It will affect the same parts of the country, the South East, East Anglia, the east Midlands, and central and southern England.

"In some parts of the country there will be scattered thunderstorms and localised flooding."

Motorways from London to Sussex and the South Coast carried heavy traffic throughout the weekend as sun seekers made their way to the beaches.

An AA Roadwatch spokesman said the M25 and the M23 to Brighton were "very slow".

A spokesman at Gatwick said there were 42,000 departing passengers on Saturday from the South Terminal alone.

He said the weekend after the start of the school holidays was always one of the busiest of the year.