We're not waiting for Freedom Day! Britain bakes in 84F sunshine today as nation flocks to beaches on hottest day of the year so far (and heatwave will last until Wednesday)

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Britons enjoyed the hottest day of the year so far today as temperatures hit nearly 84F (29C) - and the warm weather is set to continue until Wednesday when conditions could get even hotter before thunderstorms arrive.

The Met Office told of a North-South split in the weather today, with conditions feeling fresher further north with stronger winds, before the mercury could top 86F (30C) midway through this week for the first time in 2021.

The highest UK temperature today was 83.5F (28.6C) at London Heathrow Airport, which beat the previous 2021 record of 82.9F (28.3C) which was set nearly a fortnight ago on June 2 at Northolt in West London. 

But forecasters urged the public to enjoy the heat while it lasts, because thunderstorms and heavy rain sweep in and break the hot spell by Wednesday night, along with torrential rain, hail, lightning and strong gusty winds.

The heavy downpours will cause temperatures to drop considerably to 70F (21C) in the South on Thursday and could cause localised flooding, with some places seeing up to two inches of rain in just a few hours. 

It comes as Boris Johnson is set to announce a four-week delay to 'Freedom Day' - the ending of social-distancing rules - which had been slated for next Monday but is now expected to be delayed for four weeks to July 19.

Sunseekers head to the beach at Bournemouth in Dorset once again today as the hot weather continues across England

Lucimora Goiania from Brazil enjoys the sea in Bournemouth this afternoon as the hot weather continues

Crowds enjoy the hot sunshine on Brighton beach in East Sussex today as hot temperatures continue for parts of Britain 

A woman cools off with a fan as she enjoys the hot weather by the River Thames at Richmond in South West London today

People on the beach in Bournemouth today as the hot weather continues bu with the risk of thundery showers by Thursday

A woman purs water over her face to cool down from the heat at Hyde Park in London this afternoon

People on the beach in Bournemouth today as Britons continue to enjoy the hot weather on the Dorset coast

People walk in the sunshine at Hyde Park in London today as they make the most of the very hot weather

People enjoy the summer weather on the beach at Bournemouth in Dorset today on one of the hottest days on the year so far

People enjoy the hot weather in Richmond, South West London, today with more high temperatures in the coming two days

People walk along the promenade at the beach in Bournemouth this afternoon as the hot weather continues

Lucimora Goiania from Brazil enjoys the sea in Bournemouth today as the hot weather continues for Britain

Three men sit in the sunshine at Hyde Park in London today as the country enjoys the hot weather conditions

People enjoy the summer weather on the beach in Bournemouth, Dorset, today on the hottest day of the year so far

People on the beach in Bournemouth today as the hot weather continues for much of the country

Crowds enjoy the hot sunshine on Brighton beach today as temperatures soar once again in much of England

Yesterday, Britons made their own bid for freedom in the sun as they flocked to beaches, parks and rivers on the second hottest day of 2021 so far - gathering in their droves at the coast, in beauty spots and along waterways.

Little social distancing appeared to be observed at Southend-on-Sea, Bournemouth or Brighton, where families crammed on to the beaches as the mercury soared – making the UK hotter than some parts of Spain and Greece.

Others stripped off to take a dip in refreshing waters, including day-trippers at Warleigh Weir near Bath, and paddleboarders in Coverack, Cornwall.

Horse riders were among those trying to cool off in the sea at Highcliffe Beach, near Christchurch in Dorset, while punters took to the Cam in Cambridge for a pleasant river trip.

Pub beer gardens were also packed with revellers watching England's opening win against Croatia at the European Championships.

And the 22,500 lucky fans allowed into Wembley for the game basked in some of the hottest rays of all – with the country's highest temperature of the day, 82.4F (28C), recorded at nearby Heathrow. 

A spokesman for the Met Office said yesterday's temperatures were 16F (9C) above average, making the UK hotter than Monte Carlo, which reached 80F (27C) and Tenerife, where it was 79F (26C). 

It was a fine day elsewhere as temperatures reached 75F (24C) at Fyvie Castle in Aberdeenshire, with 77.5F( 25.3C) recorded at both Hawarden Airport in Wales and on Northern Ireland's Giant's Causeway. 

Met Office meteorologist Annie Shuttleworth said: 'We are forecasting that 29C (84F) could be the maximum (today). If we do see that 29C, it would be the warmest day of they year so far and it would be in the South East.

'It will be another day of warm weather and it could be just one degree warmer.'

Her colleague Becky Mitchell, also at the Met Office, added: 'We will keep the heat in the South East until Wednesday, when temperatures will get up to 30C (86F).

'Monday will be fresher in the North and there will be thundery showers, with a risk of flooding by Wednesday evening. 

'Temperatures will come down quite a lot by the end of the week and it will feel much fresher by the weekend.'

A thunderstorm warning has been issued for much of England and Wales between 6pm on Wednesday and 6am on Friday.

The Met Office said there was 'significant uncertainty' about the location and timing of the thunderstorms, but they are expected to move north-east across parts of England and Wales.

People enjoy a river cruise in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire today as the hot weather continues

People on the beach in Bournemouth today as the hot weather continues with the risk of thundery showers later this week

Visitors, locals and staycationers bask in sizzling hot sunshine at the seaside resort of Lyme Regis in Dorset this morning

People enjoy a boating trip on the River Thames at Richmond in South West London today

Early morning sun seekers pitching up on West Wittering beach in West Sussex today on another very hot day for England

People cross London Bridge in the warm and sunny weather this morning as temperatures soar once again in the capital

Two people stand beside St Michael's Tower as they watch the sunrise from the top of Glastonbury Tor in Somerset today

A spokesman added: 'Homes and businesses could be flooded quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning, hail and strong winds.

'Some communities may become cut off by flooded roads. There is a slight chance that power cuts could occur and that other services to some homes and businesses could be lost.' 

Meanwhile, Boris Johnson is facing a furious backlash from Tory MPs as he prepares to put the final lifting of coronavirus lockdown restrictions in England on hold. 

The Prime Minister is expected to announce the ending of social-distancing rules - which had been slated for June 21 - will be delayed for four weeks to July 19, with the decision having been signed off by senior ministers.

The move follows warnings from scientists that the rapid spread of the Delta variant first identified in India risks a 'substantial' third wave if it is allowed to spread unchecked.

Mr Johnson is expected to appeal to the public to show patience, with one last push to ensure that when controls do finally end it is 'irreversible'.

However, it comes as a huge setback to many businesses - particularly in the battered hospitality sector - which had pinned their hopes on a full summer reopening to recoup some of the losses of the past year.

There was deep frustration among lockdown sceptics on the Conservative benches who said there was no reason not to end the restrictions as those most at risk of death or serious illness are now fully vaccinated.

Former minister Mark Harper, the chairman of the Covid Recovery Group (CRG) of Tory MPs, said any postponement would be a 'political choice'.

He warned that if the unlocking did not go ahead as planned, restrictions could carry on through the autumn and into the winter as other respiratory infections picked up.

'The effectiveness of our vaccines at preventing hospitalisation means unlocking on June 21 could proceed safely. Any decision to delay will be a political choice,' he said.

'Variants and mutations will appear for the rest of time. We have to learn to live with it.

'If our very effective vaccines cannot deliver us freedom from restrictions, then nothing ever will.' 

Steve Baker, the CRG deputy chairman, questioned how long the country could 'fumble along' with restrictions that had such 'devastating consequences' for both business and people's mental health.

Little social distancing appeared to be observed at Southend-on-Sea in Essex yesterday as temperatures soared 

The beach in Bournemouth was packed with families and sunseekers yesterday afternoon as temperatures soared

Conservative backbencher Marcus Fysh said delay was a 'disastrous and unacceptable policy'.

Mr Johnson is expected to make the formal announcement at a press conference this evening after he returns to Downing Street from attending the Nato summit in Brussels.

After hosting the G7 summit in Cornwall over the weekend, the Prime Minister is thought to have spent yesterday evening going through the latest data with the senior ministers and officials most closely involved in the process.  

The latest daily Government figures from Sunday showed another rise in infections with a further 7,490 lab-confirmed cases in the UK - up 2,149 from a figure of 5,341 the previous week. The data also had England with a total of 35,971 positive tests in the past seven days at a rate of 63.9 per 100,000 people.