Parts of the UK will be hotter than some of Europe's top holiday destinations over the Easter weekend, with temperatures exceeding 20C (68F).

As sunseekers plan to go away over the coming weeks, the UK could be hotter than St Tropez in the south of France, Corfu, Bodrum in southern Turkey, Spanish tourism hotspot Marbella, and the island of Majorca which is to be cloudy on Saturday and Sunday.

Temperatures will rise throughout the week to give a dry, settled and warm bank holiday weekend throughout much of the country, according to the Met Office.

North Worcestershire is expected to get the best of the sunshine on Friday and Saturday with temperatures expected to be around 19C.

According to the Met Office, north Worcestershire can expect: "Dry with bright or sunny spells over the next few days and becoming increasingly warm. Some long sunny spells and warm temperatures are expected for Good Friday."

Elsewhere London and sheltered areas in the sun across the south east could see temperatures of up to 22-23C (73.4F), the hottest in the country, and even warmer than the expected high of 20C (68F) in Marbella over the weekend.

Forecaster Simon Partridge said Good Friday will be pleasant before the mercury rises to exceed 20C (68F) in areas on Saturday and Sunday.

But clouds could usher in some cooler temperatures in the North West and some parts of the east coast on Easter Sunday, the cooler of the two days.

Mr Partridge said: "After there was a chilly spell this weekend, we are going to see temperatures gradually increase through the week.

"By the weekend we could see in parts of the country temperatures of around 20C (68F), or just above."

The highest temperature ever recorded for an Easter weekend is 27.8C (82F) which occurred in two different years.

The first was in Heathrow, west London and Mildenhall, Suffolk in 1949 and the second was recorded Wisley, Surrey in 2011.