Cooling down was the order of the day today as temperatures were soaring in Yorkshire to 26C (70F).

But the tropical conditions were not set to last for long, with thunder storms edging in tonight and cooler weather on the way over the next few days.

London was the country's hottest location yesterday, with sun-seekers flocking to the parks to top up their tans in the 28C (82F) sunshine.

And closer to home, it was also busy yesterday down on the beach at Scarborough.

Paul Grahamslaw, from Scarborough Borough Council, said: "The beaches were pretty busy yesterday.

"Today should be good but the schools aren't off yet so we won't get that massive influx of people we get when the sun shines and people are off."

At Mowbray Eathouse and Ice Bar, Stonegate, York, where 25 flavours of ice cream are made on the premises, staff say business is booming.

Chef Paul Palmer said: "We had a very good day yesterday and we're expecting even better today."

Today London was set to hit an even more scorching 30C (86F), while North Yorkshire's temperatures were likely to be in the region of 26C (79F) but cooler towards the east coast at around 18C (64F).

A spokesman for the PA Weather Centre said: "Today might well be the hottest day of the year in North Yorkshire.

"There will be plenty of humid sunshine for much of the day and this evening we're looking at thunder storms with torrential downpours breaking out in North Yorkshire and in much of Wales and the west country."

Updated: 10:48 Monday, June 25, 2001