The scorching rays prove too much for some in London's Kensington Gardens

Some places could even hit 32C on Monday, the BBC's Michael Fish said.

He said Monday may well beat this summer's record of 30.5C, in Shepshed, Leicestershire, on 22 June.

Parts of southern England are expected to see temperatures above 30C on Tuesday - some of the hottest this year.

Cricket fans watching England's victory over South Africa in the NatWest Series one-day final at Lord's on Saturday enjoyed some of the warmest weather, with temperatures in London reaching 25C (77F).

Across most of the rest of England and Wales, temperatures over the weekend were between 22C and 24C (72-75F), although there were some showers and cooler weather in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Betting forecast

The heat has gone to the heads of some of the betting public, leading William Hill bookmakers to cut the odds on temperatures reaching 100F this year from 33/1 to 16/1.

Spokesman Graham Sharpe said these were the lowest such odds since the famously hot summer of 1976.

"To reach three figures the temperature has to rise gradually over a lengthy period.

Thousands of people headed to Britain's parks and beaches

"And as the current hot spell has lasted for some while already punters have been putting bets of up to �200 a time."

But the hot, sunny weather is not forecast to last beyond the middle of the week, with thundery showers coming in from the south-west on Wednesday, followed by unsettled weather and cooler temperatures, he said.

Out and about

Britain's roads were packed with people taking to their cars in search of the best place to enjoy the sunshine over the weekend.

Many coastal routes were busy and delays were occurring on roads due to local events such as the Kent County Show.

More than 100,000 people were expected to attend the show near Maidstone over the weekend to see the thousands of horses, cattle and even llamas on display.

About 55,000 revellers gathered in the sunshine at a disused airfield for Scotland's biggest music festival, T in the Park, at Balado, near Kinross where Coldplay were headlining on Sunday.