UK weather latest: Temperatures to soar higher than Ibiza, Istanbul and Athens

Warmest spells will be in London and south east

The UK is in for a sunny weekend (Getty)

Temperatures in the UK are set to soar this weekend, with the mercury reaching as high as 23C in some areas.

Britain will see warmer weather than Ibiza, Istanbul and Athens.

Horse racing fans at the Grand National are in for a glorious day on Saturday, with clear skies and temperatures expected to reach 17C at the Aintree racetrack.

While Friday night is expected to be cold, high pressure will quickly bring temperatures up again during Saturday.

Most areas will be clear and sunny, though northern Scotland, where cold temperatures will persist, will be cloudy. In the afternoon, temperatures will reach around 20C in the south.

Saturday night will see temperatures fall again but Sunday will see the warmest weather of the weekend.

Most parts of the country will see sunshine and temperatures of at least 16C, while 23C is expected in the south east. However, it will remain cooler in the northern-most areas of Scotland.

The warm weather also means that higher pollen levels than normal are expected.

The Met Office forecasts that pollen will be high across the south and as far north as Yorkshire. Northumberland will see a moderate level of pollen, and levels will remain low in Scotland.

However, the sunny spell is not set to last, and Monday will see more seasonal conditions, with rain and lower temperatures.