SUFFOLK: While our days this week have been filled with slapping on sun cream and cooling down with lollies, at night it is a different story.

Although the balmy spring sunshine has brought temperatures up to nearly double the average for late March, overnight they plunge to a chilly 1C or 2C – usual for this time of year – forcing many to put on the heat or sleep with an extra layer.

However it is all set to return to normal by the weekend with daytime temperatures dropping to about 10C.

Yesterday the mercury peaked at 21C at the Wattisham weather station and the national picture looked equally bright, with crowds of people heading out to the beaches or parks.

Forecaster Chris Bell said: “The average in the day should be something like 10C and the overnight low should be down to 1C or 2C. Daytime temperatures are running a good 8C above average for the last few days but night temperatures are where they should be.”

Mr Bell said the conditions would cool considerably by the end of the week. He added that March has so far recorded just 78 per cent of the average rainfall and April looks like being yet another relatively dry month.

Outdoor attractions and the region’s tourist trade have been given an early boost by the recent conditions and the Easter holidays promise yet more good business.

The team at the Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket opened the site’s doors for the first week of the new season on Sunday and said they had experienced a brilliant few days – helped hugely by the sunny weather.

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