THIS week’s miserable weather has left us dreaming of sunnier climes.

Shoppers in Ipswich are said they wished they were somewhere warmer and confessed that they were putting money woes to one side to book foreign getaways.

Cheap deals, as well as the dire weather, had convinced some to head off despite the fact Suffolk is gearing up for a bumper summer with jubilee events and Olympic celebrations.

Lester Blake, 21, said he was looking forward to getting away from the constant drizzle with a break to Egypt later on in the year.

Mum of three, Charlotte Elliott, pictured above, had found a great deal to Turkey and said that cost played a large part in where her family decided to visit.

“We have to go in the school holidays so it’s always more expensive. The cost was a bit better than some other places and I’ve heard it’s really nice.”

The expense of going on holiday was also keeping many people at home, despite the urge to get away from it all.

Holly Symister, 28, and Darren Young, 25, said: “Are you offering us the chance to win a holiday? We’d love to go away but we’ve just moved house so we can’t afford it.”

Some residents were choosing trips closer to home. Tracy Prior, 35 and her mother Louis Bennet, 56, were taking the children to Hemsby in the summer holidays.

Ms Prior said: “I’m scared of flying so I never get on aeroplanes! There is plenty for the children to do in Hemsby and it’s a nice place to go.”