Essex is set to bask in temperatures on par with the likes of Ibiza, Corsica and Greece this week.

It comes as Britain could bask in the hottest day of the year so far.

Met Office meteorologists said temperatures are forecast to rise day by day, and could reach 29C in some part of Essex by Wednesday.

The current record for this year was set on May 20, when the mercury reached 28.2C at Santon Downham in Suffolk.

This beat the previous record set just the day before when London’s St James’s Park recorded a high of 26.2C.

Today temperatures are set to sit around 23C across the county.

Colchester and Southend will see the mercury rise to 25C on Wednesday and Thursday before hitting 26C on Friday.

Some inland areas will get even hotter with the temperature set to hit 29C in Braintree and 28C in Halstead on Friday.

It means Essex will be enjoying weather and temperatures like that in Ibiza, Corsica and Greece this week.

Meteorologist Emma Salter said: “Wednesday could be the hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures expected to reach 30C in London.”