In Pictures: Sun comes out for May Day ahead of bank holiday weekend

2 May 2026 • 1:29 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

In Pictures: Sun comes out for May Day ahead of bank holiday weekend

Temperatures soared in parts of the UK on Friday but forecasters have warned the weather may take a turn for the worse over the bank holiday weekend.

A high of 25.4C for the day was recorded at both Heathrow Airport and Kew Gardens in London, meaning areas of southern England were hotter than Tenerife where the projected high was 23C.

However, forecasters do not expect the sunshine to last, with “unsettled conditions” and rain showers on the way over the weekend.

The May Day sun rises over Coquet Island (Owen Humphreys/PA) (PA Wire)A person uses a hydrofoil during hot weather in Southend (Stefan Rousseau/PA) (PA Wire)People on the promenade in Southend (Stefan Rousseau/PA) (PA Wire)People enjoy the weather on Jubilee Beach in Southend (Stefan Rousseau/PA) (PA Wire)Members of the Hook Eagle Morris perform outside the Shack Cafe (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)(Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)(Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)Racegoers enjoy the weather at Newmarket Racecourse, Suffolk (Joe Giddens/PA) (PA Wire)People swim at Hilsea Lido, one of Portsmouth’s most loved community landmarks (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)The lido will reopen to the public on Saturday a multimillion-pound redevelopment (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)People relaxing in the hot weather in Potters Fields Park, London (Lucy North/PA) (PA Wire)(Lucy North/PA) (PA Wire)(Lucy North/PA) (PA Wire)