UK weather: Summer set for last hurrah as heat and sunshine return this weekend

Temperatures set to climb to 25C as September begins with blue skies and dry conditions

Just as Britain was begrudgingly accepting it had waved goodbye to summer, the hot weather is to return for one final flourish.

Temperatures are forecast to soar to an unseasonably warm 25C this weekend as September kicks off with blue skies and dry conditions.

It comes after a summer of extreme heat gave way to a changeable August, culminating in a Bank Holiday washout across much of the country last Sunday.

The Met Office said most of the UK would see warm sunshine return at the weekend, with the south coast of England expected to get the best of the weather.

Senior forecaster Marco Petagna said: "Saturday, Sunday and Monday are looking like a bit of a return to warmer days.

"Between now and then things will be around about average for this time of year - high teens to early 20s.

"But as we get into the weekend and early next week we can expect highs of 23C and 24C on Saturday in the southeast of England, maybe 25C on Sunday, and maybe even slightly higher on the Monday."

He said the warm weather would be caused by high pressure and a slight wind bringing temperatures from continental Europe with it.

There will be no return to the lasting heatwave which Britons enjoyed and endured for months this year.

The Met Office said a moving band of rain was expected to pass over much of the UK on Tuesday.

However, forecasters added temperatures during in September would be warmer than average, particularly in the south.