Thousands of people flocked to the seaside on one of the hottest October days ever recorded.

Temperatures soared to around 75 degrees Fahrenheit in London and 70 on the south coast on Saturday, which was good news for businesses in Southend.

A spokesman for the High Street Traders Association said: "The two high streets were very busy and there has been an increase in sales."

The average temperature for mid-October is 57.

However some traders could have been more prepared for the effects of the sun. Kevin Mathers, manager of Three Shells restaurant on the seafront, was delighted with the numbers of customers they saw over the weekend.

He said: "A good percentage of traders were caught out by not getting enough stock in. Even with the weather as nice as it was I didn't expect the amount of people. I had to send my staff out to restock."

The weather also broke a three-week closure for Bob Warner, who owns Southend Deckchair Company. He said: "I haven't opened for three weeks because of the weather but the weather was nice so out came the deckchairs."

Sunny break - Edward Angst takes a rest on the seafront at Thorpe Bay

Picture: LUAN MARSHALL

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