UK had its warmest May and spring on record

The UK had its warmest May and spring since records dating back to 1884 began, provisional Met Office figures show.

While it was a wet and dull season for many, the Met Office said May's average mean temperature of 13.1C for the UK beat 2008's previous record figure of 12.1C.

A Met Office spokesperson said: "While it may not have felt like it for many, with sunshine in relatively short supply, provisional figures show May was the warmest on record in our series back to 1884.

"This warmth was especially influenced by high overnight temperatures, with the average UK minimum temperature for May 1.2C higher than the previous record.

"Rainfall was above average for the UK, while some areas in the south saw over a third more rain than average. In contrast, Northern Ireland and Scotland were slightly drier than average in the month."

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