THE scorching heatwave has brought tens of thousands of trippers flocking to the Yorkshire Coast.

York hoteliers and guest house owners have also been clocking up excellent business, with tourism bosses having to work hard to find accommodation for everyone arriving in the city at the weekend.

Beaches at resorts such as Scarborough have been packed with holidaymakers and day-trippers, enjoying the sunshine and also the refreshing sea breezes which took temperatures down to a pleasant 72F (22C).

Inland, with temperatures a good 12 degrees higher at 84F in York yesterday, some people have taken a dip in the rivers in a bid to cool off.

York Tourism Bureau chief executive Gillian Cruddas said that while the biggest beneficiaries of the weather were the coastal resorts, York was still enjoying good business.

"We had an incredibly busy weekend, though most of the bookings were last minute and the majority were looking for a one-night stay," she said.

"The Tourist Information Centre was still taking calls at 5pm on Saturday for an overnight stay that evening. We also have the advantage that for a last minute stay we're very easy to get to from most parts of the country."

She said the city's outdoor attractions, from boat trips on the Ouse to open-top buses, were enjoying good business in the sunshine.

But the hot weather was less good news for indoor museums and other attractions, with many tourists unwilling to go indoors. However, at Jorvik, there had been Viking themed events outside for those who wanted to take advantage of the hot weather.

Weathermen are predicting the heatwave will last into at least the weekend, with top temperatures of 86F (30C) predicted from tomorrow right through to Saturday.

The heat has played havoc with some rail services in Britain, and speed restrictions were imposed by Network Rail because of fears that rails might buckle and cause a derailment. Cross-country routes were among the hardest hit services. Passengers travelling with Virgin Cross Country from York to Birmingham today were expected to face delays after a 60mph speed restriction was imposed in the Birmingham area.

A GNER spokesman said none of their services had been affected yet but speed restrictions could still be imposed on the track near London, which would cause a 15-minute delay on a London to York journey.

An Arriva Trains Northern spokeswoman said while their services had not been directly affected, services had experienced some delays due to the knock-on effect of other operator's trains running more slowly.

Updated: 11:06 Tuesday, August 05, 2003